Harry Potter AU: A Personal Magic
by Lord Infinity
Summary: Since birth, Benjamin Suntail has lived in his family's shadows. When his chance finally comes to attend Hogwarts School, he embarks on a personal journey of self-discovery. Amidst challenges to help him prove his worth, Benjamin learns that true magical strength is found in one's self. Meanwhile, Hogwarts is caught in a new magical crisis that plagues all of England.
1. The Fateful Letter

**Suntail Farmhouse, Clearwell, Gloucester, Gloucestershire**

**April 16th****, 2008**

In an upper floor bedroom in the Suntail Farmhouse, 11-year old Benjamin Suntail sat happily at his drawing desk. The young black-furred Mouse boy leaned low over the angled wooden desktop and sat at the edge of his soft leather swiveling chair, animatedly sketching away on a pad of paper with colored pencils.

From the tips of the colored pencils in his paw, thin lines and heavy shapes burst forth, followed by thick streaks and delicate traces, all from enchanting spectrums of red, black, blue, yellow, green, and orange. The images of his mind slowly came to life on the surface of a blank white canvas.

One celestial body at a time, his vision of the solar system brightened into color, wonder-riddled and full of awe and mystery. The activity in Benjamin's mind's eye translated itself into an esoteric art piece, leastways to the best understanding of an 11-year old. To the limit of what the mouse boy knew himself of space, he mustered his confidence to bring such an intriguing and enigmatic masterpiece into being.

The boy whistled an upbeat melodic tune to himself, grooving from side to side in his chair and laying the picture book flat on the rectangular maple-wood table. Using a red pencil, he colored in Jupiter's Great Red Spot. Flipping his fingers, he pushed the red pencil backward and used a blue one to color in Earth's oceans.

On the left side of the paper, the "Sun" blazed a blinding stunning amalgam of white, orange, and yellow. It overheated Mercury, evaporated Venus, powered Earth and beamed on Mars. On the right beyond the asteroid belt drifted Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, coated in freezing gas and cold metallic rock.

Anybeast outside his home looking in would have reasonably thought of Benjamin as a scientist. But he personally did not consider himself such; rather, he thought of himself as an artist. He wasn't drawing diagrams or writing equations. Rather, he was painting his reality, creating a work of art.

"Benjamin!" a voice from downstairs interrupted his wonderment. "Come downstairs for tea, sweetheart!"

"Coming, Mum!" he called back right on cue, not looking up from his amateur artwork.

Swinging on the swiveling chair, Benjamin hopped off the seat and jumped to his feet, pulling his sketchpad into his arms and hopping to his armoire wardrobe. He laid the sketchpad aside gently on his white bed. From the wardrobe, he pulled an Emerson Silver singer fan T-shirt over his svelte bare torso, complementing his knee-length denim trousers. He slipped on white socks and took up his sketchpad again. A youthful spring in his steps, Benjamin walked out into the circular hallway outside his humble bedroom and hastened down the spiral staircase into the farmhouse parlor.

The parlor was decagonal and framed in dynamic turquoise wallpaper. With relative ease, Benjamin wove around a mahogany foam sofa, a conjoined pair of feather loveseats, and vintage cushioned barrel chairs. He sidestepped an upright piano and the fireplace. Skipping on his heels, he exited the parlor and made his way to the kitchen. His nose twitched, the enticing scents of fresh cucumber sandwiches and peppermint tea filling his nostrils.

He ascended a short ledge and its gray carpet inset, and emerged from under a low archway into the quaint yet lively kitchen, adorned in brisk floral wallpapers of chrysanthemums, roses, lilies, and tulips. The mismatched dining chairs were pulled up to a farm table to his left covered by a rose-red tablecloth. A bustling pot rack hung from the ceiling above a counter bar and behind that a cooking area of conjoined ivory countertops, a sink, dishwasher, and a microwave. The kitchen was a slightly uneven rectangle and half of a trapezoid. From Benjamin's position, the main cooking area was diagonal to him perpendicular to a glass door leading out to the family garden. Far to the right stood a fridge and icebox. Room to room and wall to wall, magical and loving familial energy radiated and enveloped him in its warm embrace. The alluring luncheon was impossible to resist. The young Mouse couldn't wait to sink his baby teeth into it.

Benjamin slid onto the pearly-white tiles of the kitchen, striking a flashy pose. "Here I am!"

"There you are!" His father Darthian Suntail was tall and sinewy, who dropped a hand towel on the counter and ran to scoop his son into his arms. Benjamin left his sketchpad on one of the dining chairs and laughed happily as his father hoisted him high into the air and spun him around, also chuckling.

Darthian kissed his son lovingly on the forehead before returning him to the ground. "Happy birthday, Benjamin!"

Benjamin giggled and dug his face into his father's apron-covered chest. "Thanks so much, Dad!"

Darthian turned and called into the kitchen. "The birthday boy's here, everyone!"

Harriet instantly materialized, petite and motherly. She waved her elm wand and carefully placed a levitating stoneware pan of an unbaked Victorian sponge pudding into an oven, and closed it in a flick of her wrist. She put her wand away into her apron before turning around and giving Benjamin a glowing smile.

He ran straight into his mother's arms. "I came just in time, Mum! Do you need any help?"

Harriet laughed and rubbed Benjamin's head between his velvety ears. "No, nothing, darling. I'm saving this sponge pudding for tonight!"

"Sponge pudding on my birthday?" His eyes widened eagerly, lying cradled in his mother's embrace, giggling innocently and licking his lips at the thought of the pudding he most fancied. "Blimey! Are you trying to spoil me, Mum?"

Harriet shared in her son's infectious giddiness and patted his head. "No, I'm not. But your sister is!"

As she released him, he was suddenly scooped up from behind by a younger pair of arms. It was Dallee Suntail, his 13-year old sister, slender-bodied and already dressed in her favorite yellow-and-white striped sleeveless pinafore.

"Gotcha, Ben!"

"Dallee! You surprised me!"

The siblings laughed out loud, swinging around in silly circles. Benjamin spun to face Dallee and threw his arms around her neck as she peppered his face in a sisterly manner.

"How's the birthday boy?" Dallee asked, holding her brother close to her chest.

"So excited, Dall!" Her younger brother pumped his fists in the air and pecked his sister on her cheeks. "Come on, let's eat already!"

The siblings watched in awe as a set of four silver teacups, bowls of cream, sugar, and butter, and a ceramic plate of crumpets flew over to the dining table. Harriet laid the food down onto a porcelain tiered stand. Darthian meticulously arranged china teacups and saucers at each chair. He then pointed his black walnut wand at a smoking tea kettle and levitated it off the hot stove. The children switched off the stove and joined the vertical table. Harriet spoke the grace, after which the mice helped themselves to the sandwiches.

"Look at these, kids." Harriet held her sandwich lengthwise to show the sliced cucumbers delicately laid between slices of barley bread. "These cucumbers are straight from the garden!"

"And the bread, too!" Benjamin licked his lips as he gripped his sandwich firmly. "It was made from the barley we harvested last week in the field, right, Dad?"

"Right you are, my boy!" Darthian chuckled as he poured peppermint tea for his family. "What a bountiful harvest we had!" He pointed at the casement window on the wall. The drapes pulled aside and let a bath of glorious noontime sunlight fall upon the dining table. They revealed a picturesque and colorful view of the garden outside.

"Dad," His son pointed at the window and the twin drapes now apart from each other. "Can you teach me how to do that someday?"

Darthian stowed his wand in the belt of his trousers. "Someday, Ben. When you become a real wizard. When the time is right."

"But when will the time be right?" Benjamin tilted his head to one side, absentmindedly chewing his sandwich.

"Who knows?" Harriet asked. She sipped her peppermint tea and mused, holding the teacup between her paws at eye level. "That is not for us to decide."

Unfazed, the youngest mouse child grinned confidently. "It will come, you'll see! I'll go to Hogwarts and learn everything there is to know about magic, so I can do the things that you and Dad can do! I can't wait!"

Dallee gently held her brother's shoulders shaking in excitement. "Easy there, little brother. Don't get ahead of yourself. You must wait for Hogwarts to come to you."

"But…" Benjamin stared out the window at the lush large rainbow garden adorning the front yard of the Farmhouse. The afternoon sun hung over a long horizontal grove of elm, hornbeam, and walnut trees, adorned in grapevines. These trees separated the dwelling from the outskirts of the Forest of Dean many miles in the distance. The boy sighed, his face skeptical and his small ears slightly drooping.

"What if it doesn't come to me? Does that mean…I can't be a wizard?"

None of his family answered and he knew it. Yet he was determined not to let the impossibility deter him from his fantasies.

A glowing smile grew on his countenance. In his irresistible childlike charm, he stated, "I won't give up hope! When Hogwarts calls for me, I'll go straight to it! We can learn together, Dallee. I'll bet there are loads of things you can teach me about magic!"

Dallee leaned over to nuzzle his snub nose. "You can ask me anything you like about magic, Ben. As a matter of fact, I have a very special birthday surprise planned for you later." Before he reacted, she put a delicate finger to his lips. "Wait until later, my dear brother."

Benjamin, wholly humbled, nodded in understanding.

"That's the spirit!" Harriet complimented, chuckling heartily. "Now, eat up, quickly! We've got cleaning to do!"

They took time finishing tea, enjoying the spectacular view of the garden illuminated vibrantly by the sun, then cleared the table. Darthian magically directed the sink to wash the dishes. Harriet kept watch over the oven and enchanted a soapy sponge to polish the stove. Benjamin and Dallee cleaned the table using wet rags.

"_Whoot! Whoot, whoot!"_

Into the kitchen from the foyer came flying a brown-and-black spotted Little Owl, hooting and chirping cheerfully. It landed on the edge of the bar counter, spreading its wings wide and vocalizing insistently to its mouse owners.

"Pocket!" Benjamin greeted the family owl as he picked up his astronomy sketchpad and once more tucked it under his arm. "If you're here, then that means…Oh, did we forget to feed you again?"

"Here!" Harriet tossed Pocket a piece from a bag of Eeylops Premium Owl Treats.

Pocket flew from the counter, caught the Treat expertly in midair, swerved around and landed on the porcelain tiered stand to feast. Then he nonchalantly pecked at the leftover crumpet crumbs. Once finished, he flew over to perch on Benjamin's left shoulder so Darthian could wash the stand in the sink.

"Pick up the pace now!" Harriet encouraged her family. "The sponge pudding won't finish for another hour and fifteen minutes. Plenty of time!"

"We've only got the parlor and the foyer to polish," Darthian wiped his paws on the small towel and came out from behind the sink. "Let's get to it!"

Dallee and Benjamin immediately worked on polishing the parlor together.

"Remind me who's coming over tonight?" Benjamin asked as he ran a wet rag over the top of the upright piano. Pocket flew off his shoulder and hovered over to perch on the piano, where he chirped cheerfully.

"Uncle Kenneth and Aunt Varissa, and your cousins, too!" Harriet entered and patted Benjamin's small head as she passed behind him to place a set of throw pillows across the sofas.

"Colton and Firiti!" Benjamin and Dallee exclaimed excitedly to each other, at once thrilled to see their relatives who lived far away in Worcestershire up north.

"Don't forget Faendan Foragon and Mulgrim Farseer," Darthian reminded his wife from the foyer. "They'll want to inform us about the latest news at the Ministry."

Harriet nodded, placing the last of the throw pillows on the loveseat in the corner. "I've not forgotten about them, Darthian. I do hope everything is well at the Ministry."

Dallee closed the piano lid to allow Benjamin to wipe the dust off of it. While organizing the music books in a curio cabinet, her eyes fell on the astronomy sketchpad laid flat one of the loveseats, paper side up.

"Ben, this is wonderful!" Dallee picked up the drawing of the solar system to admire it.

Her brother looked up from putting down the piano lid and nodded modestly. "Thanks, Dall. But it's not finished yet."

"It's coming along so nicely, though!" Dallee passed her brother the sketchpad, who tucked it back under his arm. "Astronomy is its own kind of magic, too, you know. So is art, like your drawing and coloring."

Benjamin shrugged nonchalantly. "If you say so. But I have about as much chance of getting my letter to Hogwarts than the Moon does of aligning with the Sun!"

"You'll finish it, Ben." Dallee leaned down and kissed her brother on the forehead. "You're a brilliant artist."

"Oy!" Darthian jokingly prodded his children. "Get a move on, you lot. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can have fun!"

After an hour, the entire ground floor of the farmhouse had been immaculately cleaned and polished. The beds were made, the staircase dusted, the lavatories organized, laundry folded and shelved away, and two tables laid out: the main one set for six for the adults and a smaller shorter one for the youngsters.

Benjamin hurried down the stairs after changing his shirt and trousers and grooming himself in the lavatory to overhear his parents discussing the birthday supper menu. He sat stealthily in the parlor to eavesdrop.

"I was thinking, Darthian," Harriet suggested, standing behind the counter, using her wand to levitate dishes and pots onto the table. "Perhaps we could serve the Lancashire hotpot for the adults, and the fish and chips for the children?"

"That's an excellent idea, my dear." Darthian also placed a new batch of crumpets on the tiered stand in the same place on the table as before. "Oh, and the cream of aubergine soup is finished, as well!"

"Brilliant!" Harriet pointed her wand at two unopened bottles of sparkling white wine and non-alcoholic apple cider, respectively. They floated onto the bar counter. "Mulgrim and Faendan will enjoy that, for sure. After supper, we'll serve Ben's sponge pudding for dessert, and let him blow out his candles."

Benjamin smiled excitedly over his shoulder at his sister, who had also descended the stairs. This was going to be the best birthday ever!

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the fireplace in the parlor suddenly burst into blinding emerald flames. The Suntails gathered around it at a safe distance away, shielding their eyes. A pair of middle-aged adult mice stepped out from the blazes, a younger teenage pair close on their heels. It was the Fletchers, traveling in style through the ever-efficient Floo Network! The Suntails met them with unfettered enthusiasm and warm love.

"Darthian!" Uncle Kenneth clapped his paws on his brother-in-law's shoulders, grinning from ear to ear. "How splendid to see you! It has been a long time since we last got together!"

Darthian hugged Kenneth tightly and patted him on the back. "Indeed, it has! Far too long since! It is so good to see you, Ken!"

"Harriet, is that you?" Aunt Varissa admired her younger sister's form. "Why, you're in glowing health!"

"Thank you, Varissa!" Harriet chuckled and curtsied to her older sibling. "You seem in fine fettle yourself!"

On the side, the four children greeted each other more casually and affectionately. Colton, 16 years of age and the eldest Fletcher child, kissed Dallee's paw and ruffled Benjamin's hair. Firiti, 15 years old, and Dallee exchanged kisses on the cheek, and she nuzzled Benjamin tenderly.

Colton hoisted his male cousin high onto his shoulders. "Absolutely chuffing to see you, birthday boy!"

Benjamin sat comfortably on his eldest cousin's shoulders. "Chuffing to see you, too, Cole! I can't wait to see what present you brought for me!"

Firiti wrapped her arms around Dallee. "How are you, Dall? All right?"

Dallee nodded reassuringly and nuzzled her female relative. "All right, Firi." She nodded over at her brother sitting on Cole. "But today isn't about me, it's about Benjamin!"

Firi also nodded and high-fived her younger cousin. "Of course! I hope you're ready for your special night!"

Benjamin smiled brighter than the emerald fire conjured by the Floo Powder. "Yes, I am, Firi! Let's go!"

Harriet beckoned the group into the kitchen. "I trust you worked up an appetite. It's suppertime!"

The eight mice settled into a seat at the designated tables. Varissa offered to speak the grace. Suddenly, loud cracks rent the air outside at the front door. Knowing exactly who it was, Darthian excused himself to answer it.

There on the doorstep stood the last visiting duo: Faendan Foragon, a broad-chested toned red Squirrel, and Mulgrim Farseer, a tall athletically-built polar Wolf. Both were dressed in work robes – having Apparated directly to Clearwell straight from the Ministry of Magic – and bowed apologetically for the lateness. Darthian chuckled in amusement, and kindly excused and invited them in.

Faendan and Mulgrim were greeted wholeheartedly by the Suntail and Fletcher families. They both shook Benjamin's paws and gave him the best birthday wishes. Then they promptly set their wands and briefcases aside on the counter. At last, Varissa spoke the grace, and the merry group helped themselves to the food. Harriet poured the drinks.

Faendan and Mulgrim both worked in the Auror Office at the Ministry. They informed the Suntails and Fletchers of the current national calamity.

"Aye, 'tis apparently an underground practicin' o' th' Dark Arts goin' on aroun' concentrated areas in Britain," Mulgrim explained in his London accent. "Th' worst part is that it's not restricted t' London, either. We've uncovered evidence of secret cults worshippin' an' practicin' th' Dark Arts in York, Middlesbrough, Scarborough, even Nottingham an' Newcastle upon Tyne. Whatever is goin' on, we've got t' put a stop t' it. Th' entire Ministry is on edge."

"How is Minister Moon-Claws handling the situation?" Harriet asked, sipping her wine.

Faendan from Bristol looked at Harriet in concern. "Not well, I'm afraid. He is just as confused as we are, about what the sudden flux of these Dark Arts practitioners means. Rest assured, Harriet, the Ministry is doing everything in its power to investigate it.

"Tonndel is a hardy and wise Badger. He is proud but not stubborn, composed yet possessing great strength. He'll make the right choice, you'll see. Merlin willing, he'll take drastic action before something catastrophic happens. The last thing we want is the safety of the Wizarding World – and the Muggle world, for that matter – to be threatened. Yet the details remain very dodgy."

"What do we know, at least, about these Dark cults?" Kenneth asked before taking a bite of his portion of the Lancashire hotpot.

Mulgrim put down his utensils and scratched his white-furred head quizzically. "Only that they're extremely smart. They know how t' conceal themselves from pryin' eyes, even ours. Simple yet sophisticated, employin' secrecy t' th' most extreme degrees. Minister Moon-Claws speculates that there may be Fidelius Charms, Unbreakable Vows, Stealth Sensoring Spells, an' th' like involved." He picked up his utensils again and sliced up his aubergine. "But we'll find the truth. We always do."

"Let us shy away from this disturbing news. On a brighter note, Harriet!" Varissa praised the Suntail mother's dinner. "Your cooking is absolutely exquisite! The hotpot was the most brilliant choice!"

"Aye, I agree!" Faendan's face shone and nodded in agreement. "Darthian, your cream of aubergine is delicious!"

The Suntail parents glowed pridefully.

At the smaller table, the kids animatedly talked Quidditch.

"No joke about it," Colton boldly stated before popping a chip into his mouth. "The Tutshill Tornados will top the Quidditch League this year."

"Rubbish!" Benjamin argued in jest, giggling. "The Chudley Cannons still have a chance!" He proudly sported the Cannons jersey he wore beneath his silver waistcoat.

"You daft, mate?" Colton jokingly poked Benjamin's jersey. "Cannons haven't moved up in the League in ages!" Benjamin laughed and went back to his food.

"There's hope yet for the Holyhead Harpies," Firiti remarked, dipping her battered fried cod into a plastic cup of tartar sauce. "Lisark Ironsun shall lead them to glory, you'll see! They'll beat out the Tornados but good!"

"What about Puddlemere United?" Dallee enquired, drinking her apple cider. Putting her goblet down, she added. "They've been doing rather well for the first half of the year."

Colton stopped and nodded his assent. "Yeah, I suppose that's true. A bloody pain, Puddlemere is this season." He popped another chip into his mouth.

Benjamin stood up and fetched the Owl Treats to give to Pocket who sat on his perch in a corner of the room. Darthian opened the dining room window to allow him to fly out to the garden. He landed in the tall grass and began searching for grasshoppers and earthworms. When Benjamin returned back to his seat, the conversation topic remained on Quidditch.

"So, given the tournament scores of the past eight months…" Colton scratched his chin thoughtfully. "It's between the Tutshill Tornados and Puddlemere United." He shrugged again, as if doubtful. "I don't know. I guess the Harpies have a potential shot for the World Cup?"

"We'll have to wait and see," Firiti patted her brother on the shoulder.

Dallee raised her glass goblet in the air. "Then may the best team win!"

* * *

The black raven perched silently watching the pleasant Farmhouse from the branches of an alder tree. It waited and spied the occupants of the house moving around the dining room. It cocked its neck to the left side as the window opened, and a brown-and-black-spotted little owl rocketed out. The owl flew around in several circles and landed in a patch of tall grass, which it pecked at hungrily. The raven shuffled its own feathers and spread its wings to take flight, and unconsciously moved the square-shaped sleeve it held in its beak to its claws without breaking stride.

The raven flew around the house to the front lawns. It folded its wings into a sharp dive and landed straight on the postbox, and pushed down the metal handle to open the lid. Moving the square parchment sleeve from claws to beak, the black-feathered bird inserted it into the postbox, laying it vertically at the front where it could easily be seen. Then it reached down to the handle and sealed the box shut.

Its task completed and congratulating itself on a job well done, this mysterious black raven took off back into the skies and vanished out of sight and mind into the thickness of the late afternoon clouds, where it blended seamlessly into the shadows of the low sunset.

* * *

Supper wrapped up quicker than the Suntails had anticipated. It left plenty more time for both dessert and the eventual time of gift-unwrapping that Benjamin would soon initiate.

Harriet had kept the sponge pudding steaming hot long after it was removed from the oven. Now it drifted from the stove onto the primary dining table and landed in the center between the crumpet stand and the aubergine plate. It had been baked to perfection. It measured three-and-one-half inches in depth and two inches across. The heavenly leavened aroma caused every mouth in the room to salivate.

Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Benjamin. Even the less than amateur Mulgrim and Faendan, who had not a shred of musical aptitude, nevertheless sang as best they could unashamedly. The Fletcher siblings, both musically trained from the age of four, sang with absolute gusto (trying their hardest to suppress their obvious amusement of the Ministry officials singing tragically flat). Kenneth, a respected composer of entertaining folk tunes in Worcestershire, conducted in an easy ¾ time signature. Afterward, Darthian lined the pudding eleven horizontal candles, and the elders lit them with their wands.

Darthian put his paws on his son's shoulders and bent down to speak to him. "Are you ready? Make a wish and blow out the candles!"

_I've already made it! _Benjamin closed his eyes and wished to himself sincerely in his heart. _I want to go to Hogwarts, and learn magic! I want to become a wizard!_

He knew it best not to voice these honest wishes to others. So, he inhaled deeply and blew out the line of candles in one strong eleven-year-old blow. As the others cheered, his light heart whispered to him that those very wishes would come true…soon.

Harriet and Darthian served the delicious pudding. Benjamin opened his presents: a Remembrall from Colton, a diamond necklace on a silver chain from Firiti, and a set of astronomy journals from Kenneth and Varissa. His parents gave him a new set of colored pencils in every color of the rainbow and a sketchpad bigger than his current one.

The gift that made him think the most, however, was Dallee's. It was her old copy of the Hogwarts textbook, _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling. The book was clearly beginning to show its wear from overuse. The cover was hung by a few tiny strands on its binding, several pages were stained with what appeared to be dehydrated inkblots, and over a dozen more had been dog-eared and scuffed, most likely from unconsciously forcing a bookmark in between them.

"I don't need it for my Third Year, Ben," Dallee clarified, gently pressing the book into her brother's paws. "I always intended it to be yours, dear brother. This is the perfect time for you to have it."

The dumbfounded Benjamin stared at his sister for a solid minute, but he held the book close to his chest as if trying to tap into the magic contained in its pages and leather-bound binding.

Much to the boy's mirth, the Aurors didn't have the luxury of time to either buy or create a gift for him. Winking decisively, they did promise him that something was being planned and that it would be special, as it came straight from the paws of the Ministry itself.

Infinitely patient, forgiving, innocent and benevolent, Benjamin simply laughed it off. He thought the presence of Aurors in his meek and reverent home to be the highest honor. Needless to say, the youngest Suntail child felt absolutely chuffed with everything. Of course, he praised the sponge pudding as "the greatest ever baked in the history of Gloucestershire."

That evening, everyone gathered in the turquoise sitting room before the tepid orange-flamed fireplace. Dallee and Colton played a friendly game of Wizard's Chess, the latter borrowing the former family's set. Benjamin lay on his stomach beside them, engrossed in the astronomical journals reporting on the midyear's most noteworthy astronomical discoveries. Firiti sat at the upright piano, playing her favorite Mozart sonatas for entertainment.

The six adults drank peppermint and chamomile tea and ate the last slices of the sponge pudding. The kids had already eaten their fill. Darthian and Harriet reclined on the mahogany sofa. Mulgrim and Faendan lay comfortably in the barrel chairs. The wolf was leaning forward, cradling his chamomile between his paws and watching the Wizard's Chess game intently. Faendan sat back relaxed, with one leg crossed over the other, meditatively sipping his peppermint. Kenneth and Varissa took the loveseats, the husband gently cuddling his wife as she dozed on his shoulder.

Benjamin suddenly stood up and began pacing around the room, an unforeseen nervousness on his face. He was biting his nails and drumming his fingers on his chin.

"Ben?" Harriet put down her tea, looking concerned. She grabbed her son's paw when he passed by her and stared into his eyes. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"What time is it, Mum?" Benjamin glanced at the hexagonal clock hanging on the opposite wall, high above the piano. "7:00! The end of the day, and it hasn't come yet!"

"I know you're worried, Benjamin." Harriet kissed her son comfortingly on his forehead. "We've all been, too. Well, why don't you go outside and fetch the post, see if anything has come?"

Benjamin weaved through the parlor and into the foyer. He opened the door and exited out onto the front lawn. His ears twitched at the hooting and chirping of Pocket happily feasting on earthworms and grasshoppers. He walked down the dirt path between the bisected sections of the garden down to the edges of the grove, where the metal postbox stood.

The boy pulled it wide open. To his puzzlement, only a single square-shaped parchment envelope lay vertically inside.

He recognized the crest instantly.

A split second later, Benjamin was already sprinting back down the dirt path, bursting headlong through the door back into the foyer. He stopped himself on the grey carpet landing and waved the envelope in the air almost deliriously.

"Look at this! It's here, it's finally here!"

"Open it, open it, open it!" the others enthusiastically spurred him on.

Darthian fetched the letter opener from the kitchen and gave it to his son, who very carefully cut open the envelope. His fingers shook in anticipation, not truly knowing what to expect.

"_Benjamin Suntail_

_The Room on the Spiral Stairs_

_Clearwell_

_Gloucestershire_

_Dear Mr. Suntail, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _

_Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. _

_Term begins on 1__st__ September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Faylekk Seaniver_

_Deputy Headmistress_

_Headmaster: Mickael Winterheart_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)"_

The subsequent cheers that exploded in the Farmhouse were deafening.


	2. A Dazzling Day in Diagon Alley!

**London, Charing Cross Road, entrance to the Leaky Cauldron Pub**

**August 21****st**

It had been more than four solid months since Benjamin opened his Hogwarts letter. Ever since that fateful day, he had never bothered to remove it from his mind.

He was going to Hogwarts!

Now over four months into his new age, he'd grown a full three inches taller and sprouted some short tufts of hair behind his ears. The sudden growth spurt even surprised him.

Right now, Benjamin stood leaning with his back against a brick wall, skeptically turning the diamond necklace over and over in his paws. Its true purpose and whatever magical properties it possessed remained indiscernible to him. He wore it on the silver chain around his neck, wondering if perhaps it too held some secret.

Firiti did say there was magic inside it, placed personally by Aunt Varissa herself. But it was a special kind of secret that only the nephew was meant to discover.

One day, that power would reveal itself.

Colton's Remembrall proved valuable. For a solid week, Benjamin almost completely forgot about his art project on the solar system. He'd enter his bedroom every night and idly pick up the Remembrall from his bedside table. It instantly turned red in his paw, stumping him for a couple of minutes. Then he'd climb into bed and fall straight asleep.

That week passed. Benjamin eventually finished his drawing of the solar system – for the most part, all thanks due to the Remembrall. Using the new colored pencils from his parents, he'd colored in the planets and the fringes of the Kuiper Belt. Yet the dark sky remained starless and devoid of constellations. Although its artist used the astronomy journals for reference, the illustration still missed several of even the lesser important star topologies.

Was it a magical sign meant to be heeded?

He'd read _Magical Theory_ cover to cover at least half a dozen times. There was always something new to discover with every new read. Of course, with numerous readings came numerous questions. Dallee, an angel of endless patience and a love of teaching, always graciously answered every single question that her brother asked. The hours of rereading and tutoring taught Benjamin much about the basics of magic, fueling his youthful enthusiasm and making him even more excited about going to Hogwarts.

"Ben? Ben!"

"Huh?"

He shook himself back to reality and looked up to see his older sister stroking his hair fondly.

Dallee giggled and ran her fingers in and out through her brother's smooth headfur. "I asked if you're ready to go inside the Leaky Cauldron."

Benjamin dropped the diamond necklace to hang around his neck, took his sister's paw in his own and pressed it gently to his cheek. "Of course, Dall! I was born ready!"

Dallee lightly caressed Benjamin's face with her fingers and kissed him on the forehead. "Come on, dear brother. Time to change your life!"

Paw-in-paw, the two mice entered into the Leaky Cauldron. They met their parents at the counter, who led them outside to the four-walled backyard.

"This is the fun part!" Dallee whispered in Benjamin's ear.

Darthian raised his wand and tapped a sequence of bricks on the wall, three up from the trash can and two across. The wall retracted into a small hole before opening up into a large and wide archway.

The mouse boy's eyes widened and rounded in voiceless awe.

"Benjamin!" his family announced. "Welcome to Diagon Alley!"

Benjamin took his first tentative steps into Diagon Alley. His jaw dropped and pulled into a thrilled smile. His face glowed and his eyes shone with unbelieving speechlessness. All that came from him were excited squeaks and breathless childlike laughs at the extraordinary sight appearing before him.

It was a cobblestoned shopping alley, quaint and downright old-fashioned, and yet inviting and enticing, a magical shopping paradise.

This was Benjamin's first time in Diagon Alley in the two years since Dallee started at Hogwarts. In the past, he would be left with the Fletchers in Worcestershire, while his parents took Dallee shopping. But he learned everything there was to know about the famous backstreet: all the shops and their names, the Wizarding currency, and its general layout.

Benjamin turned around mid-stride, his eyes flying in every direction and absorbing the looks of the various shops and stalls flanking left and right. The wonder never left his face or wavered for a second. His face was a countenance of shining exuberance, marveling, and the flying wholehearted passion of a childhood dream fulfilled.

He turned back around and trotted beside Dallee, his gaze still flitting every-which-way.

"Here, Ben." She passed him his list of supplies needed for Hogwarts.

Benjamin scratched his head in bewilderment. "We're going to buy all this using Wizarding money, right?"

"Don't you worry," Harriet smiled at him and pointed up at a towering snow-white multistoried marble structure located halfway down the street near a branching intersection. "We can get that in the safest place in all the wizarding world, Gringotts Bank!"

"Time to show Ben the family vault!" Darthian declared.

With elevated anticipation and a new spring in his step, Benjamin folded the list and stuffed it into the pocket of his trousers.

* * *

**Gringotts Wizarding Bank**

A set of burnished bronze doors revealed a materializing expansive gold and white hall. On either side of this hall stood large counters managed by peculiar creatures that Benjamin recognized as –

"Shrews, right, Dad?" Benjamin pointed at one on the left side studiously counting a stack of gold coins, whispering discreetly so as not to disturb its concentration.

"Aye, my boy." Darthian whispered back. "Right smart and sharp ones, at that. Never underestimate the intelligence of a Shrew."

They reached the end of the Main Hall and walked up to the tall obsidian podium, where a vaguely haggard and loose-haired, yet learned and highly wise old Shrew sat writing meticulously in a hard-leather-bound ledger wider than the podium itself.

"Excuse me." Darthian greeted the Shrew to get its attention. "We wish to make a withdrawal from our vault."

The haggard and loose-haired Shrew looked up blankly over the rims of his half-rimless silver reading glasses. "Name?"

"Suntail," Harriet informed him.

The Shrew placed his quill in his inkwell and leaned over the ledger to see better. His black eyes landed on Benjamin. "'E must be startin' 'is path t' 'Ogwarts, eh? Very well. I'll arrange fer a cart. Please wait 'ere."

When Benjamin joined the others in a magic mine cart, his first instinct was to hold on for dear life as it magically lurched forward and half-hurtled into the underground depths of Gringotts Bank on a winding series of specially-made metal tracks. He braced himself for the potential worst, tightly gripping the cart's safety railings.

For two more minutes, the cart rocketed at an unstoppable eleven miles per second, twisting and turning through numerous subterranean passages. But at its final sudden halt, Benjamin was thrown facefirst onto the floor of the stone cart, flat onto his stomach and palms.

Dallee laughed, helped her brother up, and led the way onto the stone platform to a circular bronze door flanked by stalagmites and stalactites. Above it carved into the stone wall was the number 191.

"That's ours, Ben!" Dallee told him.

"Wow!" Benjamin whispered in amazement.

"Stand back, please!" ordered the cart driver, who inserted a silver key into the vault door.

There were piles upon piles of coins inside. Benjamin gaped at them and watched as his parents collected pawfuls of them into leather purses.

Darthian took one of each coin and showed them to his son. "Do you know what these are, Ben?"

"Galleon, Sickle, and Knut!" Benjamin effortlessly identified the gold, silver, and bronze coins without a second's hesitation.

"Very good!" Darthian tossed the coins into his purse and ruffled Benjamin's hair. "We and the Fletchers have taught you well!"

The vault closed itself as they boarded back into the mine cart. Benjamin shut his eyes tight during the entirety of the return trip.

Still reeling from vertigo, he clumsily stumbled down the stairs onto the cobblestone streets. Harriet caught him in the nick of time. Instinctively, he pointed eastward.

"Flourish and Blotts is that way! That's where I'll buy my textbooks, Mum!"

"Exactly!" Harriet hugged her son and took him by the paw. "Let's get going. It's shopping time!"

The first thing Benjamin knew when entering Flourish and Blotts was nearly fainting at the enormous ceiling-to-floor stacks of wooden bookshelves like stones paved in leather. Thank Merlin that the dizziness from Gringotts wore off in that instant. Darthian helped him find his textbooks.

What magical spells lay in wait to be learned in _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1_? He couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming boredom just from holding _A History of Magic_, and sincerely hoped that his childhood spent helping in the garden paid off when putting _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _into the bookbag. A copy of Newt Scamander's iconic _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ piqued his animal-loving fancy. _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration _caused him to say a silent heartfelt prayer to never encounter the need to Transfigure himself.

As for _Magical Theory_, he agreed to use Dallee's old copy (even though it technically still did have her name written on the inside cover).

The father and son laughed at each other carrying a hefty stack of four books each. Darthian paid for them at the counter using the money from Gringotts. Benjamin flipped in fascination through _Magical Drafts and Potions _while waiting outside. Dallee came out with Harriet carrying her own set of eight books (how the infamous _Monster Book of Monsters _was included in the bunch, no one knew).

Benjamin had the grandest time standing on a platform being measured for his school robes at Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions next door. Simply wearing the black plain everyday work robes made him feel like a true professional wizard, talented at magic. It was barely like being fitted for casual Muggle clothes. The clothes fitted themselves to his eleven-year-old body and not a single pin grazed his fur (both a testament to the advancements of magic in the past eight years). He was astounded by an infinite tape measure that scaled his arms, legs, and head, aided by an authorized Undetectable Extension Charm. His father even offered to estimate his area of extremities, to immense relief.

When the fitters placed the pointed hat on his head, he burst into laughter at the giant body mirror. To think this was to be his daily outfit at Hogwarts! It only elevated his eagerness tenfold.

He flexed his fingers inside a pair of Dragon-Hide Gloves and swore to hear the faint roaring of dragons in his ears. The winter cloaks lined with fleece and fastened with silver would serve to keep him warm and cozy come the cooler months. The Suntails already owned plenty of lighter versions for spring and summer. To complete the set, Benjamin added a pack of first-year nametags for an additional ten Sickles.

Although plenty more shopping still needed to be done before the end of the day, Benjamin energetically proclaimed to be just getting started.

After Madame Malkin's, the Suntails passed by Eeylops Owl Emporium to buy a new bag of Owl Treats for Pocket. Both Benjamin and Dallee knew that Pocket had been adopted here no less than five years ago. Then they made a quick stop at Rosa Lee Teabag to restock on peppermint and chamomile tea powders.

They rewarded themselves with ice cream sundaes to combat the late summer heat at the popular Florean Fortescue's Parlour. Benjamin settled tiredly into his chair and savored a sweet spoonful of his favorite mint chocolate-flavored sundae with a banana and chopped almonds, sitting between Dallee and the Fletchers showing off their purchases.

Colton bought one of each team jersey from Quality Quidditch Supplies: the Hollyhead Harpies for his sister, Puddlemere United for Dallee, the Chudley Cannons for Benjamin, and of course, the Tutshill Tornados for himself.

Firiti and Dallee exchanged acne treatment potions from Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions Shop. She also gave Benjamin a collection of spare quills, inkwells, and parchment from Scribbulus Writing Instruments.

Benjamin unpacked his shopping and laid it in his lap: a collapsible brass telescope from Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment for gazing at the night sky during Astronomy class, a set of glass phials and potion ingredients from Slug & Jigger's Apothecary, a Potage's-brand pewter cauldron, and of course, the textbooks and Madame Malkin's robes. He pulled his mint chocolate closer to him and explored the parlour.

Families filled every glass table in Fortescue's, feasting on ice cream and engaging in merry conversation. The ringing of the doorbell hanging above the door attracted his attention. His face pulled into a bright smile.

Faendan and Mulgrim waved happily at the Suntails and Fletchers. They went up to the counter and gave their orders, then borrowed chairs from an adjoining table and sat on either side of Benjamin.

"Ben," Mulgrim patted the youngest Suntail child on the shoulder. "Once again, we must ask your pardon for our lateness. We have some belated birthday gifts for you."

He produced a miniature Horologium encased in gold and silver from his briefcase, an astronomical clock. Mulgrim knew well of the mouse's passions for astronomy and art. The Horologium displayed the entire solar system on long brass hands and surrounding stars and constellations on the inner layer. The clock moved in precise coordination with the actual planets and celestial bodies in the cosmos that it represented. It also foretold likely times of solar and lunar eclipses and planetary alignments. A small pressable button lay on its underside to transform it into a regular analog clock to tell the time and automatically adjust to international time zones.

"I must give ye a word o' warnin, Ben." Mulgrim stared at Benjamin sternly over the glass rim of his pistachio ice cream. "Th' teachers at Hogwarts may not take kindly t' discoverin' this in yer possession. I'd advise ye not use it durin' yer Astronomy classes, do ye understan'? It must not fall into th' wrong paws. Keep it between yerself, yer sister, yer family, an' either myself o' Mr. Foragon at all times."

Benjamin held the Horologium close to his chest and nodded to the Wolf in full understanding.

Faendan gave something rather more esoteric: a circular bronze-cast copy of a Ministry badge with the name _Benjamin_ emblazoned on the upper circumference and enchanted with an individualized Protean Charm.

"In your direst need," Faendan swallowed a bite of his dark chocolate. "You have but to rub your finger across the engraving of your name, and the mighty forces of the Ministry shall come to your aid. But it is to be reserved exclusively for when you are in a truly dangerous and life-threatening crisis. Wherever you are, whatever threatens you, we promise that the Ministry shall never fail you or your family."

After they'd finished their ice cream, the Aurors said their farewells, wished Benjamin good luck at Hogwarts and left Diagon Alley. Outside the Parlour, Harriet knelt to talk to her son.

"Benjamin. We have bought everything you need for Hogwarts. All except one. Do you know what that is?"

He knew without even needing to think about it, and named it with a tone of the utmost reverence.

"My wand…"

He knew exactly where to go.

* * *

**Ollivanders Wand Shop, Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.**

The Ollivanders Wand Shop was a simple double-sided structure with shelves of wands all bundled together and packed to the ceiling, not dissimilarly to Flourish and Blotts. Benjamin felt the magic radiating inside and around the building. Yet standing alone in the middle of the foyer surrounded by the looming towers of wands, he hardly knew what to do and where to start.

A black-striped gray Badger sat at the high central counter, his fingers folded together in front of him and a cordial smile on his face.

"Benjamin Suntail," the Badger addressed the comparatively shorter mouse boy formally in a modulated royal voice befitting of his species. "Welcome. I've been expecting you."

Benjamin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You…you have, sir? I've…been expected?"

"Oh, yes." The Badger stood up from his chair and smiled down at Benjamin. "It seems like yesterday when your sister was here buying her first wand, wasn't it?" He nodded at Dallee sitting in a chair with her parents at the front door.

"My name is Jan'Geer Ollivander," he introduced himself to Benjamin, turning and descending the stairs onto the floor. "I am the Wandkeeper of the sole wand shop in Diagon Alley."

"It's an honor to meet you, sir," Benjamin said out of sheer esteem for the revered wandmaker.

Jan'Geer pressed a respectful paw to his chest. "The honor is mine, Benjamin. This is such a momentous occasion. The last of the Suntail bloodline is, at last, buying their wand! You have received your Hogwarts letter, I assume?"

"Yes, sir," Benjamin answered with a confirming nod. "Four months ago."

"Fantastic." Jan'Geer swung around on his heels and began perusing the shelf to the right of the central counter.

"The pairing of a wand with its destined witch or wizard is an exciting magical process. The wand chooses the wizard, Benjamin. You do not select it; it selects you. Your parents' wands chose them, as did that of your sister. We do not know why this is the way of things, but it simply is so. That undeniable fact is well-known for those of us who have studied wandlore for uncountable years. Let's start with this one, shall we?"

Jan'Geer removed a rectangular burgundy-colored box from the middle of the shelf, rubbing its smooth cover and walking back to Benjamin.

"This wand calls to me, Benjamin, and it, in turn, calls to you. I'm sure I don't need to tell you the information you already know from being taught by your parents. I mean the properties of wands such as their various woods and magical cores, and so forth. Shall we see what is inside?"

He meticulously lifted the cover from the box and removed the first wand from its leather casing.

"Look at this. Isn't it beautiful, Benjamin?" Jan'Geer put the box on the counter and held the wand between his fingers. "This wand is made of ash wood. It measures 12 inches and possesses a core of unicorn tail hair." Jan'Geer waved the wand lightly through the air. "Oh, it's quite swishy." He offered the handle to Benjamin. "Could this be the wand for you? Hold it in your dominant paw, please."

Benjamin took the ash wand in his left paw. Jan'Geer scratched his grey muzzle thoughtfully.

"Let me see. What can I have you do? Ah!" He pointed up at a group of lanterns standing in a four-armed candelabra that hung just above the front door of the shop. "Do you see those lanterns there? I want you to point your wand and make them shine brightly like stars in the night sky. A simple flick of your wrist should do the trick. Whenever you're ready."

Gripping the wand firmly, Benjamin drew his wrist back and flicked it at the candelabra.

The lanterns flickered a chaotic pitiful white before shattering one by one and raining glass onto the floor of the shop.

Benjamin gasped and clapped his free paw to his mouth. "Sorry, Mr. Ollivander!"

To his surprise, Jan'Geer chuckled. "It is all right, Benjamin. That was no fault of yours, rest assured. Perhaps that wand is simply not meant for you, and you are not meant for it. Please return it to me."

Benjamin did so, and Jan'Geer promptly returned it to its box. He pulled an oak wood wand out from his robes and pointed it at the candelabra. The glass and lightbulbs floated up from the floor and fused back together, restoring the lanterns good as new.

"Well," Jan'Geer stowed his wand away in his robes. "That does not seem to be your destined wand. Do not despair, Benjamin. We will try another one. Oh, by the way, my wand likewise contains a core of unicorn tail hair. And yet, neither it nor that ash one chose you. No two wands are the same, you should know. You would not get the same magical results with another wizard or witch's wand as with your own. Anyway…"

He climbed the staircase to the upper floor of the shop, muttering to himself. Benjamin saw him stop on the right-most side and reach his paw out to summon a moving ladder from the corner of the room, climbing it to remove a silver box from another shelf.

"This one might be it." Jan'Geer dropped from the ladder and descended the stairs, opening the silver box and removing the wand. "Hornbeam, 15 inches, dragon heartstring. Pliant and simple. If I recall rightly, your sister's wand is made of hornbeam. Is that correct, Dallee?"

"Yes, Mr. Ollivander," Dallee confirmed and waved her hornbeam wand proudly.

Feeling a tad more confident, Benjamin took the other hornbeam wand and held it more delicately.

Jan'Geer drew his attention to a stack of boxes sitting on a chair at the top of the stairs. "Why don't you try making those boxes organize themselves back into their shelf? Yes, the one behind the chair, where the ladder stood before. Wave the wand in a sort of swirling motion, like a spiral."

Benjamin spun the wand in a spiral shape as directed. The stack of boxes rose a foot into the air and hovered for a short moment…before collapsing onto the chair in an overturned mess.

Jan'Geer sighed and shook his gray black-striped head. "Well, well. That one does not work, either, I'm afraid. Give it back to me, please." He placed the hornbeam wand away and closed the box.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ollivander." Benjamin hung his head in a sincere apology. "Maybe I'm not meant to be a wizard."

"Please do not be worried, Benjamin." Jan'Geer knelt on the floor at the mouse's eye level, his eyes twinkling comfortingly. "You received your Hogwarts letter in the mail, and you have come to Diagon Alley to buy everything you need. Now you are here at my shop to acquire your first wand, watched by the anticipating eyes of your parents, aunt and uncle, cousins, and sister who found their wands before you. You are truly meant to be a wizard, Benjamin, even if you don't believe it at this time. But in time, you will. Belief will come with experience."

An orange box at the top of the stack fell off of the chair and landed flat onto its cover with a muffled _thump. _

"Sir," Dallee politely interjected and pointed upstairs. "Something fell off the chair."

"Oh?" Jan'Geer looked in that direction. "That orange box? What is it doing there?"

He gaped at Benjamin and furrowed his brow curiously.

"I wonder…"

Benjamin ascended the stairs after him and took the orange box. Jan'Geer helped him open it and removed a dark brown curled curved wand. Benjamin reached out; it almost gravitated to his paw.

The tip of the wand glowed a brilliant heavenly white. Glittering sparkling stars shot out of it and circled the young mouse in balletic fractal patterns. All the lamps in the shop suddenly lit up in shining royal orange hues, bathing the shop in a warm soothing and energizing aura.

Jan'Geer gasped in amazement. "That is…most peculiar."

Benjamin stared back in puzzlement. "What's peculiar, sir?"

Jan'Geer took the wand and examined it between his fingers. Its tip still glowed white. "This wand is made of alder wood, a highly unique and uncommon type of wood. It measures 13 inches, is slightly springy, and possesses a phoenix feather core. I remember the day I made this, Benjamin, many years ago long before you were born. Since that day, it has outright rejected a total of 99 wizards and witches. I've wondered why that was the case all these years. Perhaps, it has been waiting for the right wizard. Perhaps…it has been waiting for you."

"For me?" Benjamin stared at the wand, gobsmacked as the Badger returned it to him.

"Yes," Jan'Geer confirmed in an awed breathy voice. "At last we have the answer. Alder wood is unyielding, but its owner is no way stubborn. Rather, they are the most likable wizards, considerate and selflessly helpful. A wand crafted of alder wood desires a nature markedly diverse from its own. It will be unwaveringly loyal to you, Benjamin, and no other. Its greatest property is that it is magnificently adept at non-verbal spellcasting. You will learn about non-verbal spellwork in your sixth year at Hogwarts. Along the same lines, a phoenix feather is the quintessential core for an alder wand. I expect you to make your mark on the wizarding world, Benjamin. Take care of your wand, and it shall take care of you."

Benjamin nodded wordlessly. The wand's light faded into nothingness. Jan'Geer packed it back into its box.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander." Benjamin bowed gratefully to the Wandkeeper.

"Best of luck at Hogwarts School, Benjamin Suntail." Jan'Geer bowed back, smiling in satisfaction. "You have my blessing."


	3. The Road That Leads to Hogwarts

**London, King's Cross Station, Platform 9 ¾**

**September 1****st**

Benjamin and Dallee wobbled from side to side as they balanced their trunks to load onto trolleys. Benjamin triple-checked his trunks of Hogwarts equipment, the birthday gifts, clothes, robes, and his sketchpad. He folded his Emerson Silver T-shirt and laid it flat beside his two Chudley Cannons jerseys.

"Are you sure you've got enough shirts, Ben?" Harriet asked, reopening his clothes trunk. "Do you have plenty of pants and trousers?"

"Yes, Mum, I've got everything!" Benjamin squeezed her paws reassuringly. "I'm not a little kid anymore!"

"Don't worry, Mother." Dallee patted her brother's head. "I'll take good care of him." She stroked her copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters_ in her main trunk. "Where's my copy of _Divining the Future_?"

"Got it here, Dall!" Benjamin passed it to her and turned to his father. "Will they have food on the train, Dad?"

Darthian bear-hugged both his children and gave them a coinpurse of Wizarding money. "Yes, they will, my son. Keep your eyes open for a lovely hedgemaid pushing a trolley full of sweets! Trust me, you'll love it. She has quite the candy collection!"

Harriet placed a folded parchment in Dallee's main trunk. "Here's your permission form for Hogsmeade, honey."

"Thanks, Mum," Dallee stuck the permission slip in between the pages of _Divining the Future_. "Hogsmeade is the wizarding village outside Hogwarts that the Third Years have the opportunity to visit every year," she explained to her puzzled brother. "I'm excited to see what it has to offer! You'll catch a little glimpse of it when we get there."

Darthian glanced at his wristwatch. "10:30! Time to go, kids!"

Dallee closed their trunks and led Benjamin to the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. She pointed out a crowd of other Wizarding families running at a thick brick wall. "Watch that, Ben."

Benjamin's eyes widened. "Stop!" He almost shouted out. "You're going to run into-!" His jaw dropped when the beasts and their trolleys disappeared through the brick wall.

"_That's _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?!"

Darthian nodded and pointed his son towards the brick wall. "That's it! You've seen it before, remember? You saw your sister go through it twice!"

Benjamin shook nervously on the spot. "I remember that – sort of! It's been a couple of years. I never imagined I'd go through it myself!"

"That is your gateway into the Wizarding World, Benjamin!" Harriet proclaimed to Benjamin, massaging his shoulders assuringly. "It's the only thing separating you from your passage to Hogwarts. Go on, sweetheart, it's okay. You're okay."

Benjamin instinctively crouched low behind his trolley. "I don't know! What if I just bump into it? What if it closes on me after everyone else has gone through? I'll just make a bloody fool of myself. Off my trolley, literally!"

His family knelt around him, holding him comfortingly to calm his trembling body. Dallee stroked his cheeks with her thumbs and looked into his anxious dark brown eyes.

"Hey, Ben." Dallee's own sympathetic eyes met his. "It's okay, I promise. All you have to do is run at the wall. I'll run right with you and it'll be over in a second. Come on, baby brother. Just hold my paw."

Benjamin slowly stood up. He took Dallee's paw and gulped. She squeezed his paw to soothe his nerves as they took the point at the front of the crowd. The sounds of the other families cheering him on immediately filled Benjamin's ears, encouraging and supporting him with loud uplifting voices.

"You can do it, boy! It's your turn now!"

"Don't be afraid, little mouse! Jus' close yer eyes, grit yer teeth, an' run!"

"You're almost there! You're right on the doorstep of the Wizarding World! Go on, son, your time has come!"

The Fletchers appeared by the Suntails. Colton and Firiti squeezed Benjamin's shoulders, adding their cheers.

"You've got this, Ben! We're right behind you!"

"That's our Benjamin! It's up to you now, mate! Spur yourself on and leg it to the wall!"

The collective cheers burned away his anxiety and replaced it with flowing adrenaline, spiking his blood and igniting red sparks in his veins and arteries. He clenched his paws around the handle of his trolley, inhaling and exhaling bravely.

_They're right! I've just got to do it! No holding back! My dream is right within my grasp! I __**will **__go to Hogwarts!_

Benjamin steeled his nerves and gripped his trolley a bit tighter. He took Dallee's paw again and pushed himself into a brisk walk. He broke right into a headlong sprint and felt his sister slip from his fingers.

He shut his eyes tight at the last second. The wall passed right through him.

When he opened his eyes, the sight of a new train station materialized in his vision. To his left, a giant red-and-black train towered over him on its tracks, blowing smoke and steam out of its locomotive whistle.

Benjamin started laughing and dancing around his trolley, jumping up in the air and whooping loudly. _I did it! I passed through Platform Nine and Three-Quarters! I made it to the other side! I __**did **__it!_

Amid his shining triumph, his family walked out of the wall behind him. His father picked him up by the shoulders and spun him in a circle in the air. "That's my boy! You did it!"

Darthian put him back down on the ground, and Dallee held him to her budding chest. "You were fantastic, little brother! I almost lost you for a second there!"

"Congratulations, son!" Harriet squeezed her son tightly from behind. "Welcome to the Wizarding World! You did magnificently!"

The Fletchers hurried out of the Platform behind them and immediately scooped up the triumphant Benjamin.

"Oh, yeah!" Colton ruffled his male relative's hair tufts. "That's how it's done, cousin!"

"Come here, Ben!" Firiti kissed him lovingly on his face. "That was amazing! You were amazing!"

"You see, Ben? All it takes is courage!" Aunt Varissa high-fived her nephew. "I'm so glad that the crowd back there helped you. Such warmth and generosity as I have never seen before at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters in so many years!"

"Well, well!" Uncle Kenneth practically bear-hugged Benjamin. "Now you have entered the Wizarding World! Marvelous! Congratulations, Ben!"

Benjamin was whooping at the top of his lungs, pumping his fists in the air. He followed his sister and relatives to the train. "The Hogwarts Express!" He marveled at the enormous 4-6-0 Hall Class GWR 5900 steam locomotive.

Harriet knelt to talk to Benjamin. "Your sister and cousins are going to take good care of you, Ben. Make sure you're on your best behavior, too, and mind your manners. Work your hardest in school. You're going to do wonderfully, we know it. We are so very proud of you and we love both of you with all our hearts. As soon as you get sorted into your House, let us know! Promise us, Ben!"

Benjamin nodded confidently. "I promise, Mum. Every single one!"

"We'll send you both loads of letters every single week with Pocket," Darthian promised, rubbing Benjamin's head and hugging Dallee. "He may be tiny, but he's got incredible strength in him. You'd be surprised at how much weight that Little Owl can carry."

Dallee wrapped her paws around her brother's flat chest. "I'll look after you, my dear brother. Always."

"We'll take care of you," Firiti added, affectionately massaging Benjamin's shoulders. "You're under our protection, sweetie."

"We'll keep you safe, kid." Colton nodded with a wink. "You'll be well protected on our watch."

"All aboard!" called the far-off voice of the conductor.

The Suntails and Fletchers exchanged last-minute hugs and kisses. Benjamin hugged his parents tighter and kissed them deeper than he'd ever had in his life. He gave the same to his aunt and uncle. He never took his eyes off them as he walked to the threshold of the train. Dallee helped him step onboard, and they both leaned out to wave their final goodbyes. When their parents were out of sight and the train turned the corner out of the station, indescribable excitement and anticipation warmed Benjamin's heart.

He couldn't wipe the grin off his face.

At long last, Benjamin Suntail was off to Hogwarts!

* * *

**The Hogwarts Express**

The four mice claimed a compartment to themselves close to the tail end of the train. Benjamin exclaimed at the cozy cushioned red-and-blue sofas, brightened by the big window showcasing the forested countryside in varying shades of green.

"Oh! Bagsy on the window seat!" He instantly plopped himself down on the left-side sofa close to the window.

Dallee wrapped her arm around his shoulders as she settled beside him. "Of course, Ben. The window is yours."

Colton helped Benjamin store his trunks in the overhead and pecked his sister on the cheek. "Here we go again to Hogwarts! Third Year, Fifth Year, and Sixth Year! Come what may, we're ready!"

Firiti held Benjamin's diamond necklace in her fingers and smiled at him. "Third, fifth, and sixth time for us. But it's just the first time for Ben! Are you ready to go to Hogwarts?"

Benjamin puffed out his chest proudly. The diamond necklace glimmered in the sunlight filtering in from the window. "Yes, Firi! As ready as I'll ever be!"

Dallee counted the coins in the purse. "Okay, I think we've got more than enough money for the four of us when the candy trolley comes."

A soft knock on the glass door interrupted them. Dallee gave the coinpurse to Benjamin and went to open it. Two creatures stood in the hall: a light-tan Ottermaid dressed in a sleeveless green tunic and a pair of slim black trousers; and a short thin brown Squirrel in a plain white V-neck T-shirt and short denim jeans. The Ottermaid looked hopeful, while the Squirrel was rather timid.

"'Ello, excuse us," the Ottermaid greeted Dallee. "But do ya 'ave any extra room? We've been lookin' everywhere an' the front 'alf o' th' train is almost completely occupied."

Dallee nodded. "Yes, we have some room left. Come on in."

"Oh, thank ya so much!" "Bless your heart!" The guests entered inside, and the three mice greeted them.

"Hi, there!" Benjamin waved with his sister's coinpurse. "Welcome in! What are your names?"

The Ottermaid sat on Dallee's right and patted her chest lightly. "Daphne Winters! Pleasure t' meet ya!"

"Mathay Havson," the Squirrel boy sitting beside her awkwardly adjusted ovoid rimless eyeglasses on his face. "You may call me Matt."

Everybeast exchanged paw-shakes and names. Daphne snuggled into the sofa and rested her paws comfortably on her thighs. Matt cleared his throat and leaned forward, bashfully smoothing out his denim trousers and centering the V-neck collar of his shirt.

Benjamin pointed to himself, laying his head on Dallee's shoulder. "Are you going to Hogwarts, too? I'm going for the first time!"

"'Ey!" Daphne pointed cheerfully to herself and Matt. "So are we! First-Years, too! I never 'eard o' 'Ogwarts meself, 'cept from th' tales an' legends me papa told me!"

"First-Years?" Matt repeated in confusion, folding his paws in his lap and looking confused through his glasses. "Is that what the beginner students are called at Hogwarts?"

"Aye," Colton nodded. "That's the name, all right. Pardon my asking, but have you never heard of Hogwarts before, Matt?" He furrowed his brow at the Squirrel.

"Er…no…" Matt hung his head in slight embarrassment. "I haven't. At least not until three months ago. Is it a good school?"

"Oh, yes!" Dallee answered enthusiastically and massaged Benjamin's shoulders. "It's the greatest magical school in the entire world!"

"You'll love it there, Matt," Colton added, winking reassuringly at him and stroking Firiti's hair. "Wait till you see it."

Firiti turned to Daphne and gestured curiously at her. "You're familiar with Hogwarts as well?"

Daphne shrugged innocently, tapping her chin ponderingly. "Eh, a little bit. I know enough from what me wizard papa used t' tell me about it. Me Muggle mum was never interested, though I ain't ashamed."

"Where are you guys coming from?" Benjamin asked curiously, raising his head a tad. "I mean, where do you live?"

Daphne straightened herself on the sofa, placing her paws nobly over each other. "Central London, born an' raised!"

"London! The capital!" Matt mused and sat back. "Me, I'm from Brighton, on the coast of Sussex."

"Sussex!" Daphne tapped her chin again. "You must have a lotta fun livin' near th' coast. I wish I lived near th' ocean! I could swim all th' livelong day!"

"It's a splendid place to be, Daphne!" Matt laughed, running his paws through his curved bangs and smoothing out his bushy brown tail. "Some of the nicest beasts you'll ever meet are there!"

The sound of an approaching cart cut off the conversation. Matt opened the door to reveal a kindly middle-aged hedgemaid standing behind a double-tiered cart.

"Hello there, dears!" she greeted the sextet. "Would you like some candy from the trolley?"

"Wow!" Benjamin squeaked like a mousebabe in a fancy candy store. "So many choices!"

"Are those Licorice Wands?" Daphne pointed out the sweet in question to the hedgemaid, who nodded. "That sounds delicious!"

"Blimey! I've never seen this much candy before!" Matt whistled and examined every inch of the cart. "What should we eat first?"

Dallee bought the candies, and they placed their delectable purchases on the wooden table by the window, a very sugary bunch including Licorice Wands, Pumpkin Pasties, bottled Pumpkin Juice, a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, and the iconic Chocolate Frogs. The highly entertained hedgemaid wished them an enjoyable rest of the train ride and left.

Dallee gave a Chocolate Frog each to Benjamin, Daphne, and Matt. "Look here. These frogs are made of real chocolate!"

"Frogs?" Matt asked somewhat dubiously. "Made of chocolate?" He carefully opened his decorated pyramidal plastic container. "Why, that's got to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever – _whoa_!"

He jumped in surprise as a moderately-sized chocolate frog figure sprang out of the box and landed in his lap, croaking rhythmically. It suddenly sprang high into the air as Matt moved to grab it. It hopped from Daphne's lap and between the Suntails onto the table where it spilled the other candies on the compartment floor. Firiti drew her beech wand right as it launched from her lap onto the door.

"_Accio _Frog!"

The Chocolate Frog rocketed from the door and streaked towards Firiti, who caught it in her other paw. Gripping it firmly, she returned it to Matt, who had been rendered momentarily speechless by the awe-inspiring display.

"That's _magic_?!"

Firiti nodded and held up her beech wand. "Classic Summoning Charm. A handy spell in any situation. You'll learn it in your Fourth Year, kid."

"Oh, what a mess." Benjamin gathered the candies that the Frog had spilled all over the compartment floor. "It'll take forever to clean this up."

"Here, Ben, I've got it." Colton pointed his holly wand at Benjamin's pawfuls of Every Flavor Beans. "Besides, I think you should stay away from those. Who knows what flavors you'll accidentally end up eating? Don't want you to get sick on the first day of school. Anyway…_Pack_!"

The Beans levitated from Benjamin's palms and collected back into their colorful box, forming rows and columns of multicolored confections. The Pumpkin Pasties and the Licorice Wands lay down in a clean vertical row together.

"_Reparo_," Dallee fixed the shallow dents and tight cracks in the bottles of Pumpkin Juice and passed them around.

The First Years could only stare in transfixed speechlessness.

Five more runaway frogs later, everyone delighted in the thick rich taste of pure chocolate. At the bottom of the packs lay pentagonal collectible cards of famous wizards and witches throughout history.

"Lonna Bowstripe!" Dallee showed her card of the massive Badger famous for being able to shoot a spell dead center in an excess of 100 yards with his wand.

"Yes!" Colton held up his card, his face glowing. "Skor Axehound, the Chieftain of the Rogue Crew! I've been searching for him for ages!"

"Polleekin the mole seer!" Daphne squealed and hopped in her seat. "Beautiful!" She bit off a piece of her Licorice Wand and sighed dreamily. "Wow! That is th' sweetest licorice I 'ave ever tasted! Papa wasn't kiddin'!"

"I've got Nightshade, myself." Firiti indicated. "She's best known as the seer for Swartt Sixclaw."

Benjamin raised his eyebrows at his card, fascinated. "Ould Zillo the Bard, a member of the outlaw otterclans. Huh! That's very interesting!"

"Mine is Grissoul, seer of the Juskarath Tribe," Matt concluded. "I wonder if pulling him means that I should be expecting something important in the future." He creased his forehead, a tad pensive, though he quickly brightened up. "That was a lot of fun, wasn't it?"

"I'm surprised ye've never 'eard o' any o' these figures," Daphne remarked to Matt as she took a hearty bite out of her Frog.

Matt rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and his ears drooped in shame. "Yeah…I haven't heard these names before at all. I've never known this world or Hogwarts or witches or wizards or anything until I received my letter. Until now." Matt hung his head, his face crestfallen, his voice tentative as he turned away, rubbing his arms together.

"You see…I'm Muggle-born."

He was greatly surprised by the other's mutual sympathies.

"Bein' Muggle-born is nuthin t' be ashamed o', Matt," Daphne patted the little squirrel gently on the back. "It takes great courage t' admit it. Ye are a brave squirrel for confessin' yer blood heritage. I'm a half-blood meself, an' I'm proud o' it! We'll both be part of 'Ogwarts whether we believe it or not!"

"The four of us," Dallee pointed to her mice family. "We are purebloods. Magic is in our bloodline and has been for countless generations."

"As Daphne said," Colton added, stuffing the last of his Frog into his mouth. "There is no indignity in a Muggle-born background. Please do not think of yourself as lesser, Matt. You belong at Hogwarts."

"Yeah!" Benjamin commented, also swallowing his chocolate. "Somebeast would have to be really thick to judge you for who you are, Matt!"

Matt sat up inches straighter and beamed as bright as the noontime sun. "Thank you for understanding. That does mean a lot to me. You have no idea how good it feels to be accepted for who I am. Thank you." He put his paws on his hips again, this time noticeably more pridefully. "When I get to Hogwarts, I'm going to be brave about telling everyone about my Muggle-born status! I won't be afraid! I'll be proud of who I am!"

"That's the spirit, kid!" Colton raised his paw, and Matt happily high-fived it.

The Squirrel carefully removed his glasses from his face. "Are we allowed to use our wands on the train, too? I want to know if there's a spell that can clean this dust and smudges off."

Dallee brandished her hornbeam wand. "Yes, there is. Do you have your wand? The one you got from Ollivanders Shop in Diagon Alley? Why don't you take it out, and I'll teach you the useful Siphoning Spell? Just point your wand at your glasses, and say, _Tergeo_!"

Matt nodded and dug his paw into his right trouser pocket. "I've got my wand right here." He plucked it out and showed it to the others. "Vine, 14 inches, dragon heartstring. Mr. Ollivander told me that my being Muggle-born won't make any difference to my magic. Please work…" He pointed his wand at the lenses of his glasses, squinting a bit to see properly. "_Tergeo_!"

The spell funneled off the dust and smudges from the ovoid rimless lenses. Matt laughed and raised his polished glasses for the others to see, to their applause for his first success at magic.

"It worked!" Matt proclaimed, placing the pair back on his eyes and gasping at the spotless clarity of his vision. "It really worked! My wand obeyed me! I cast the spell on the first try! I can see so much better now! Thank you, Dallee! I'll never forget that spell, I promise!"

Daphne and Benjamin continued to use the Siphoning Spell to remove their thin fingerprints from the door and window, respectively. Their walnut and alder wands likewise obeyed them, to their great astounding. The older students happily acclaimed them.

Firiti crossed her legs on the sofa and observed the beginner witch and wizards. "Daphne, Benjamin, Mathay, I am more than positive that the three of you will make fine students at Hogwarts."

"By the way," Colton playfully nudged his sister in the side. "You're an O.W.L. student now, aren't you, Firi?"

"Hmph!" Firiti pouted and poked her bottle of Pumpkin Juice in her snickering brother's stomach. "Don't remind me, you big bullying git. Do I look like I'm ready for my O.W.L.s to you?"

"O.W.L. student?" Benjamin furrowed his brow, and Daphne and Matt both shook with anxiety.

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," Colton detailed for the youngsters. "Fifth-Year exams. You don't need to worry about them right now." He grabbed one of the last Pumpkin Pasties. "I'm in my Sixth Year now, a bloody N.E.W.T. student, that is. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, that's what they're called." He shuddered and shook his head skeptically. "Rubbish. I'm not looking forward to it."

"But you passed all your O.W.L.s, didn't you?" Firiti leaned on her brother's shoulder.

Colton chewed meditatively on the Pasty. "Five Outstandings, three Exceeds Expectations and two Acceptables." He swallowed and nuzzled his sister's cheek. "Don't worry, Firi. How about we help each other study, huh?"

Firiti tapped her brother teasingly on the nose and drank deeply from her Pumpkin Juice. "Brilliant idea, brother. But just don't do it at your own expense, all right?"

"You have nothing to worry about, yourselves," Dallee assured the three future Hogwarts students. "As long as you have your own back and look after yourselves, you'll be able to achieve great things."

"I agree!" a new voice spoke from the door. Everyone turned to see a silver-gray Fox leaning relaxed against the glass frame. He wore a large black robe with dark blue trim, a stark contrast to his glossy fur.

"Lemme tell you sumthin', mates," the Fox elucidated to the children. "Everybody else on this train once stood in the same position where ya are now, beginners at Hogwarts. We were nervous, anxious, clueless outta our minds. Mental! Yet, through hard work, determination, perseverance, persistence, and sheer dumb luck, we've made it far. We've succeeded where we wanted to. You can do the same. Give it everything you've got, and you will see loads of amazing things happen. Aye, there's magic at Hogwarts; but there's magic inside you, too. It's up to you to know where to find it, and decide how you choose to use it."

"Carver Darkclaw!" Colton jumped to his feet to greet the Fox.

Carver Darkclaw grinned and pulled the Mouse into a strong bear hug. "Hey, Cole! Good to see you!" He patted Colton heartily on the back and then hugged Firiti and Dallee together, blushing lightly as they planted sweet kisses on his cheeks.

"Lookee here, mates!" Carver pulled out a corner of his robe. Upon it was pinned a silver-blue badge with a cursive letter _P _embellished in the center.

"Whoa!" Colton's eyes grew rounder than Galleons. "You're Prefect!"

"You're a Prefect, Carver?" Firiti gaped in surprise at the Fox. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Carver released the mice and shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you, I guess? Wanna know who's my partner?" He winked knowingly with a sneaky smirk.

"Don't tell us," Dallee guessed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Annie Slates?"

"Aye!" Carver threw his paws up in the air comically. "That's her! Our fine gal, Annie!"

"I knew she'd be picked!" Firiti nodded and sat back down. "Oh, she's a right smart girl, Annie is. She'll do so well as Prefect. I'm sure you two will work perfectly together. Will you give her our congratulations for us?"

Carver nodded and smoothed out his robes. "I most certainly will." He stepped back to let a female Ermine First Year pass by on her way to the bathroom, before hanging his arms over the window. "Anyways, I was just makin' my rounds, checkin' to make sure everythin' is goin' well here. No trouble, I hope? Do you kids need anythin'?"

Benjamin perked up and hopped off his sofa to approach the Fox. "Carver, do you think we'll be good enough wizards for Hogwarts?"

Carver stared sincerely at the Mouse. "Ye must be Benjamin, aye? Dallee has told me a lot about ye." His face turned solemn; his voice was mentor-like. "Ask yerself this question, Benjamin: do ye think you'll be a good enough wizard for yerself?"

Benjamin averted his eyes, thinking deeply. Matt and Daphne also took a quizzical gander at each other, both wondering the same thing.

Finally, Benjamin met Carver's eyes. "Yes, I do. I mean, I don't know yet. I don't know if I'll be a good enough wizard for myself."

"Ye know what, Benjamin?" Carver reached out and patted the Suntail boy's head. "That is a perfectly normal feelin'. That is the correct answer. I promise ye will discover who ye are at Hogwarts, that's what it's for. What ye an' the other First Years are feelin' an' thinkin' is natural. I once felt like that, too, as did your family. Always remember: Hogwarts choose you."

"Hogwarts…chose us?" Matt gasped, holding his Pumpkin Pasty halfway to his mouth.

Carver nodded assuringly. "Indeed, it did, little squirrel. It sent ye its acceptance letter in the post, didn't it? The fact alone that ye crossed the barrier at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters means ye answered its call."

"So, if we give all o' our best," Daphne asked. "Does that mean we'll succeed an' fin' ourselves, too?"

"Indeed, otter miss," Carver bowed his head to her courteously. "Yet, you must experience it for yerself."

The awestruck wizards and witch-to be gasped and stared wide-eyed at each other, their faces pure portraits of excitement.

Carver pulled his arms out of the window and stuffed his paws into his robes, his face radiating encouraging anticipation. "Anyway, sumthin' to think about. Colton, best of luck on yer N.E.W.T.s. Firiti, we can study together fer our O.W.L.s, have no fear. Dallee, take good care of yer brother." The Fox shuffled his trainers and made to take off down the hall.

"Wait, Carver!" Daphne jumped to her feet and called after Carver. "Before you leave, would you please honor us with a magic spell?"

Carver chuckled at Daphne. "I'd love to, miss, for ye an' the beautiful ladies here." He drew his wand from his robes and traced a circle in the air. "_Orchideous_!"

A bouquet of brilliant daisies burst out from the tip of his wand. He deftly caught it in his other paw and presented it formally to Daphne, who practically swooned as she gratefully accepted it. Carver conjured two more of the same for the smitten Dallee and Firiti.

"Steel yerselves, witches and wizards! The time draws near! Hogwarts is calling! Answer it!"

Benjamin, Daphne, and Matt nodded in agreement with one another as Carver left. The signs told true. It was close!

* * *

Benjamin later went out into the hallway to find a bathroom for his sticky sugary paws. A few Prefects patrolling the train generously pointed him in the right direction. The door to the bathroom opened as he reached it, and a yellow-brown Ermine stepped out.

"Oh!" the Ermine jumped in surprise as she saw him. "You startled me!"

"Sorry, miss!" Benjamin stepped back apologetically. "I didn't know you were still in there. I only needed to wash my paws." He showed her his paws coated in chocolate and sugar.

The Ermine stood aside and gestured to the bathroom door. "Go right ahead. I was on my way out."

Benjamin methodically washed his paws and mouth in the sink and frowned at the unnaturally sorry drenched state of the rectangular glass mirror. The Ermine was standing patiently against the wall as he came back out.

"Some idiot threw water on the mirror and faucet and made a mess everywhere. Do you know who did it?"

The Ermine shrugged back defensively. "It wasn't me; I can tell you that. Probably a First-Year just like us. Somebeast who had a little too much fun cleaning their paws, I'll warrant." She offered her paw. "Wotcher, I'm Severia Avelle-Livenworth."

"Benjamin Suntail," Benjamin gladly shook Severia's delicate paw. "I think I've loosely heard of the Avelle-Livenworth name. Do your parents work for the Ministry of Magic?"

Severia showed her fangs and nodded slyly. "Aye, that they do! My mother is Aria Avelle-Livenworth, one of the Ministry's top Aurors! My father Daxter Livenworth works in the Department of Mysteries. Curious stuff."

She raised her nose haughtily in the air and looked Benjamin firm in the eyes, smirking. "Mark my words, Benjamin. I plan to be the best witch in my family, and graduate top of my House every single year! I want to become a prominent name in the Ministry of Magic just like my parents! I don't give a Fire Crab's arse who gets in my way! Suffice to say I don't fancy anything less than the best!"

She pulled her wand from her robes. "Matter of fact, I've already been practicing a spell, to get ahead of everybody else. Observe, Benjamin." Reopening the bathroom, she waved her wand in a simple S pattern. "_Scourgify_!"

The water was siphoned off the mirror and faucet faster than the blink of an eye, and they gleamed shiny and spotless as new.

Benjamin laughed and clapped his paws together. "That was amazing, Severia! It'll be clean now for the next creature who uses it." He closed the door and nodded at Severia. "You'll succeed at Hogwarts with that attitude. I don't doubt that."

"What about you, Benjamin?" Severia pocketed her wand and palmed her chin, watching the Mouse interestedly. "What do you plan to specialize in at Hogwarts?"

Benjamin scratched his head thoughtfully and walked back down the hall. "I've always been interested in astronomy. I would love to learn to be an astronomer at Hogwarts."

Severia nodded in agreement. "That sounds like an exciting career, Benjamin. Can you please answer an astronomical question for me? My parents have debated this for ages." She put her paws in her pockets and followed him. "Will the Sun become a black hole in the next one billion years, or will it not?"

Benjamin walked with her. His face lit up at the opportunity to be asked this hot topic. "The answer is no, Severia. The Sun will not become a black hole at the end of its lifetime. Why? Because it's not big enough. Allow me to explain.

The Sun lacks what is called a companion star, a member of a binary star system to consume mass from to reach the appropriate size of a black hole. Instead, in the next one billion years, the Sun will burn out its hydrogen fuel and then start burning helium. Astronomers predict that it may become a red giant, and then a white dwarf."

Severia's eyes widened, the unexpected answer having enlightened her. "Really? Is that true? I never knew that. Now, though, I wish I did know that earlier. Well, guess what? When I'm at Hogwarts, I'll make an astronomical discovery that nobeast else has found yet. I'd better write to my parents what you told me, so they can finally end their bogus debate. Again, thank you, Benjamin."

They stopped at her compartment. Severia placed her paws on the sliding glass and turned around to face Benjamin. "Good luck with your astronomy, Benjamin. I truly mean that. Even so, I plan to be the best witch in our Year. I'll leave everyone else in my dust. I dare you to try to catch up to me."

Benjamin smiled confidently back. "Confidence can get you far enough, Severia. But without the brains to back it up, you won't step another foot down the road."

Severia sneered from ear to ear once more. "Depends on who paved the road, Benjamin. Rest assured; I plan to pave it myself. You'd better know how to walk it. See you at school."

Severia reentered her compartment. Benjamin chuckled assuredly to himself.

"Don't worry, Severia," he whispered to the closed door. "I've been walking that road for ten years."

* * *

**Hogsmeade Station**

The Hogwarts Express continued its course into the night, drawing ever nearer and nearer to its legendary destination.

Benjamin had fallen asleep in Dallee's lap several minutes ago, peacefully dreaming colorful visions of space. His mind's eye saw blankets of shining stars and illustrated constellations, planets spinning on their axes, fleeting streaks of comets passing by, and the occasional meteorites crashing on planet surfaces.

He barely understood what it meant.

He woke from his slumber half an hour later and turned onto his back to look into the captivating teenage pink eyes of his sister. The siblings exchanged kisses, and she helped him sit up straight.

Firiti was stretched horizontally across the sofa, immersed within _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5_ and tracing spell outlines with her wand, her feet against the wall. Colton was standing on the couch organizing the contents of his main trunk in the overhead bin. Daphne and Matt were having an intellectual conversation about histories of each witch and wizard on their Chocolate Frog. Dallee cuddled Benjamin close to her and lovingly stroked his ear tufts.

She removed the charmed Horologium from his trunk. He pressed the small button on the device's underside to convert it to its analog clock form and adjust it to the Scotland time zone. The planets, stars, and constellations drifted to their respective places in the night sky of the Scottish Highlands.

The train drifted into Hogsmeade Station exactly on schedule. Benjamin, Matt, and Daphne pressed their eager surprised faces against the glass, craning their necks to detect something in the distance.

"I don't believe it…Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?!"

"Is…is that it? We've arrived? Yes, we have!"

"I must be dreamin'! No, I ain't dreamin'! This is it! We made it! We're 'ere!"

Dressed in their school robes, the sextet climbed out of the train and onto the sidewalk. Firiti pointed out a burly golden Wildcat standing near the ticket booth, holding an orange lantern and a lit wand.

"This way here, First Years! Follow me, please!"

"Go on, Ben." Dallee urged him to go follow the Wildcat.

"What?" Benjamin turned around, his brow furrowed in confusion and worry. "What about you? Where are you going?"

"We'll be traveling a different way, by carriages," Colton explained with an indicative wink. "But you three get loads of breathtaking scenery."

"It's okay, Ben. We'll meet you there. Go on, you'll be fine. You're safe." Dallee hugged Benjamin before he tentatively broke away to heed the call.

The Wildcat tipped the short-brimmed leather cap on his golden head at the crowd of new students gathering around the light of his lantern. "Aradir Dordrac, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts at yar service! It is a tremendous honor te meet Hogwarts's fledglings! I've been doing it fer years and it never gets old! Now, if ya'd be so kind as te follow me, we can get our official transport te tha school underway."

They traversed a shady path to the edges of an enormously vast dark lake. A vast fleet of small boats sat around the edges of this lake. Dordrac waved his wandlight and lantern over this fleet.

"Three te each boat, please! Three te each boat, thankee!"

Benjamin, Matt, and Daphne piled into a boat. Matt on the stern side instinctively gripped the lantern pole, thinking to hold on for his life. Daphne in the middle happily ran her paws through the water, as if imagining herself swimming in its calm flowing waves; the daisy bouquet rested safely in her lap. Benjamin sat at the bow in wordless wonder and curiosity. The boat pushed right off the bank and dipped into the water.

It sailed at a moderately passive speed, taking its time to traverse the smooth waters of what was known as the Black Lake. On either side stood steep sloping mountain ranges spreading as far as the eyes could see, and farther beyond. In the far distance, a mythical magical castle emerged from the thick fog, growing larger and larger with the decreasing distance as the boats drew closer and closer.

This castle towered mightily over the students as their boats smoothly turned a corner to stop at a small landing stage on the other side of the Lake. Dordrac climbed out of his boat first and directed every other one to ensure that each student got out safely. After a rapid headcount, he relit his wand and his lantern, swung on his heels, and led the way through another mysterious path.

Benjamin's jaw dropped at the astonishing sight materializing in the fog, Daphne's eyes grew as round as the full moon, and Matt gasped out loud breathlessly.

They read the immortal words engraved upon the magical stone.

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**_


	4. A Blessing of Four Houses

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Dordrac led his young charges up an extensive flight of stone stairs. There between the doors of a medium-sized building stood a sylphlike brown-red Squirrelmaid dressed in flattering leafy-green and bright salamander-orange robes, and a wide-brimmed scarlet-red lederhosen hat with a long black raven feather sticking out diagonally on the left side.

The Wildcat saluted the Squirrelmaid with his denim cap. "Good evening, Headmistress Seaniver. I bring ye tha First Years."

Headmistress Seaniver bowed thankfully. "Thank you kindly, Aradir. I shall take them from here."

Dordrac nodded encouragingly to the First Years. "Good luck, children. I will see ye later at tha Start-of-Term Feast. Welcome te Hogwarts!" He tipped his cap one last time and departed back down the stairs.

Seaniver turned and gestured for the children to accompany her. "This way, students. Follow me." She led the way inside the medium-sized building, stopping at the edge of a long corridor to speak to them.

"Is that everyone? Excellent." The squirrelmaid smiled welcomingly and warmly at the First Years.

"I am Faylekk Seaniver, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is my extreme pleasure to welcome you to our prestigious and legendary Wizarding academy. The building you now stand in is known as the Chamber of Reception. In a few moments, you will be admitted into the Great Hall to be Sorted into your Houses of Hogwarts. There are four of them: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Each of you is Sorted individually. Think of your House as your family. They stand always by your side as your support, in every sense of the word. You'll take classes and spend time in your dormitories and Common Rooms with your fellow House members.

During your term at Hogwarts, your Houses are governed by a system of points. Your successes earn points, and your failures cost points. At the term's conclusion, the House that has collected the most points will be awarded the House Cup, an honor of royal recognition. I trust that each one of you will contribute to your Houses, whichever becomes yours."

Seaniver pointed to the main entrance to the Great Hall. "As I said, the Sorting Ceremony begins in a short moment. Please spend some time here to care for yourselves, however that may be. We shall send for you when we are ready." She turned and disappeared down the Chamber of Reception out of sight.

Benjamin turned to Daphne and Matt. "Wow…I'm speechless! We're here at Hogwarts! We made it! To think that countless creatures before us have stood here in this very room! How might they have felt? What might have they been thinking? I can scarcely imagine!"

Daphne fanned herself with her paws, still a little wet from immersion in the waters of the Black Lake. "Oh, dear, I don't thin' I'm ready t' be Sorted into my House! I wonder which one I'll go to? I can't wait to see!" She quickly dried her paws on her tunic beneath her robes and delicately hung one of Carver's daises behind each ear under her hat, holding the rest of the bouquet in one of her trouser pockets (generously magically shrunk by Firiti for easy carrying).

Matt inhaled and exhaled in a mix of confusion and anticipation. "I never imagined in my life that I'd be here. I have never dreamed of such a place like this even existing." He brushed his bangs out of his eyes and grinned cheekily, straightening his eyeglasses on his nose. "My parents would have a thing or two to say if they could see me now – or ten, or twenty."

Benjamin closed his eyes and inhaled deeply to soothe his nerves. He opened his eyes and asked, "How about we just start by accepting the fact that we have made it to Hogwarts?"

"Anybeast can say they've made it to Hogwarts," said a snarling voice behind Benjamin. "But how many can say they'll stay dere?"

Benjamin turned to see a black-brown Sable standing in front of him. He smiled casually with the faintest hint of a sneer in the slight curl of his lips.

"Lissen here. It is wan thin' ta be 'accepted inter Hogwarts," continued the black-brown Sable, stroking his salmon-orange throat patch. "It's annuver ta have tha sufficient level o' strategic capabilities ta be allowed ta _stay_ init."

Benjamin raised a dubious eyebrow. "May I help you?"

The Sable unfolded his arms and extended his paw to Benjamin. "Course ya can. M'name's Miglurz Alistair."

Benjamin shook Alistair's paw without hesitation. "Benjamin Suntail." Matt and Daphne introduced themselves in like manner.

"Charmed," Alistair nodded respectfully at the Squirrel and Ottermaid, then looked Benjamin straight in the eyes. "As I said, it takes an extraordinary min' ta make it in Hogwarts. Do ya understand that, Benjamin Suntail? Hogwarts don't just choose anybeast: dey choose only th' best. If ya're nothing less than yar best, then ya won't survive th' entire term. Are ya prepared ter give it all ya've got? Or will fate favor me, an' I'll rise above ya in everythin'? I ain't afeared ter do what's necessary, ter take advantage o' everybody else ter get ter tha top, an' stay there. Worrabout ya, Benjamin? D'ye have what it takes ter do what's necessary when th' time comes? Don't wanna be stuck with tha losin' crowd, now do you?"

Benjamin smirked coolly in Alistair's face. "Oh, I'm prepared, for sure. I was born prepared."

Alistair sneered back, his fangs glinting stylishly in the firelight. "We'll see about that, won't we? May tha best wizard win." He shook Benjamin's paw again, this time quite firmer. He pivoted on his heels and walked away.

Matt shook his head in deep disapproval. "Now just who the bloody hell was he? I don't like the sound of him, Benjamin. I reckon you'd best steer clear of that bloke. He just looks dodgy."

Daphne shrugged nonchalantly. "Come on now, 'e didn't soun' that bad. I mean, he was charmin' enough, righ'?" She suddenly giggled and put her paws to her cheeks to hide a noticeable red blush. "'Andsome, too, for a Sable."

Benjamin rolled his eyes and exhaled impatiently. "Whatever you want to think, Daphne. I'm with Matt on this. Don't worry. I'm going to avoid him if it's the last thing I do."

On the left side of the chamber stood Severia Avelle-Livenworth smoothing out her robes and headfur. She nodded cordially at Benjamin, who gave her a genial wave and smile in return.

A few minutes later, Headmistress Seaniver returned to direct them into the Entrance Hall. Two giant double doors at the end opened gloriously at their approach. They led into a grand and spacious stone hall. Titanic walls reached up to an enchanted ceiling dotted by floating candles. The entire upper space was bewitched to appear exactly like the night sky outside. Four tables flanked on either side and at each sat a great multitude of students in various colored robes.

Benjamin saw his family at the table on the middle left. He waved reluctantly at them and returned their heartwarming smiles.

Seaniver stopped at a short platform of stairs. She held back the First Years and stepped up to a three-legged stool; upon it sat a curious old hat.

To the astonishment of the students, the "Hat" spoke in short curious rhymes and cryptic riddles. After it finished, Seaniver removed a lengthy scroll from her robes and rolled it out onto the floor.

"When I call your name, please step forward and sit upon the stool. The Sorting Hat will place you in your Hogwarts House." She read the first name from the list. "Miglurz Alistair!"

Alistair positively walked out from the front of the crowd and took the Hat in curious yet self-confident stride.

"_Slytherin!"_ Its announcement reverberated around the Great Hall.

The final table on the opposite end of the Hall hissed like powerful snakes and serpents. Alistair hissed back fiercely as he joined Slytherin House.

"Severia Avelle-Livenworth!" Seaniver continued down the list.

Severia appeared from the left side of the crowd and seated herself on the three-legged stool with her usual self-confident fanged beaming.

"_Ravenclaw!"_ announced the Hat a second time.

The left middle table erupted in raucous noise, many standing on their bench and waving blue and bronze velvet banners with the emblem of the Albanian Eagle.

"Mathay Havson!" Seaniver continued.

Matt stepped out from Benjamin's right, not knowing what to expect.

"_Gryffindor!"_ the Sorting Hat boomed a third time.

A triumphant rousing throaty roar like a pride of lions erupted from the left-most table. Matt enthusiastically roared back to the best of his ability.

"Daphne Winters!"

Daphne shuddered where she stood, but instantly obeyed. She approached the stool and sat down, and almost winced as Seaniver placed the Sorting Hat on her head.

The Hat proclaimed in a booming voice, _"Hufflepuff!"_

The table in the middle right cheered and applauded enthusiastically. Daphne slipped relieved off the stool and excitedly went to join it.

Benjamin watched as Daphne sat at the Hufflepuff table. He watched wordlessly as every student was Sorted one by one by the magical Sorting Hat…until he alone remained on the floor.

What if he wasn't picked? What if the Hat couldn't place him anywhere?

What if he could not become a wizard?

"Benjamin Suntail!"

Benjamin inhaled and exhaled to collect himself. _Relax, Ben, relax! You can do this! You've waited your whole life for this moment!_

He shook in his robes, gulped, and timidly seated himself on the stool. The Sorting Hat began to speak to him the moment it rested on his head.

"Benjamin Evansen Suntail," the Hat spoke his name with a curious reverence and cordial inquisitiveness. "Well, what a most atypical mind you possess. A mind, mark you, that is not of this world. That is no bad thing, I assure you. Your transcendent mind is beyond sharp and unique even amongst the standards of Hogwarts. You are not tied down to materialism or the superficial universe like many others. Instead, you choose to travel beyond this realm, to enter space and the cosmos, to places that any wizard's mind would scarce be wont to travel. Do not be afraid, Benjamin. That is something you will understand in time. But now where to place you? I sense the seed of doubt planted in your heart and the uncertainty blooming in your mind. You are uneasy, little Mouse. I can feel it."

_What am I? _Benjamin thought fearfully to himself. _What am I?!_

"What are you?" The Hat asked knowingly. "Why, Benjamin Suntail, you…are…_**Ravenclaw**_!"

Benjamin heard his family cheering louder than the rest of Ravenclaw House. He hopped off the stool and sprinted right to them, practically falling into their arms. The Sorting Ceremony having concluded, the entire Great Hall exploded in applause, and Seaniver left to store away the stool and Sorting Hat.

A lanky elegant pink-brown Hedgehog dressed in flowing star-speckled silvery robes and a glittering periwinkle gold-trimmed blouse stepped up to the Owl Lecturn. This was Mickael Joseph Amers Dorian Winterheart, Headmaster of Hogwarts, who adjusted his round crystal spectacles and gazed out admiringly across the Hall.

"Greetings and goodest of evenings, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" His deeply resonant orotund voice reverberated across every wall and to every table. "Tonight, we celebrate the beginning of an exciting new year of magical education here at our mighty academy. To our returning students, welcome back. To our newest students, our warmest fondest greetings to you all. I pray that you may find your place and your true selves here in these hallowed halls.

Before we begin the Feast, it is with great regret that I announce that Professor Kilkrag has graciously retired from Hogwarts. He has chosen to spend his days with his lovely wife and their newborn son. But be of good cheer, my students."

He gestured behind him to his right with his fingerless navy-blue gloves. "Allow me to introduce your new Astronomy teacher, Professor Faolis Starwalker!"

A beautiful willowy brown-red female Vixen dressed in a muted orange monk-like robe timorously stood and gave a quiet wave amidst collective respectful acclamation.

"Thank you, Professor Starwalker!" Headmaster Winterheart praised the Vixen as she sat down. "My second matter is, I'm afraid, of a darker and more serious nature." He stared out sternly over the Owl Lecturn at the Great Hall.

"It has recently come to the attention of Hogwarts that the nation of England is currently plagued by the existence of underground magical cults. These cults study the Dark Arts of magic and are considered suspiciously dangerous. The Ministry of Magic is investigating these suspicious shadowy denominations with tireless diligence. Unfortunately, nothing concrete has yet come to light of their restless inquiries.

Now, my students, I want you to rest assured with the knowledge that Hogwarts is safe from the threats of these clandestine Dark Arts cults. There is nothing here that can hurt you, internally or externally, while you live within this sacred school. You are well-defended and protected under the watchful eyes of both the teachers and staff. You all may sleep tonight with the surety that you have nothing to fear. The light of Hogwarts shines around you like a beacon in the darkness. Amid the cold bitter darkness of your lives, seek out Hogwarts' radiant warmth and security."

So, without further ado, let the Start-of-Term Feast begin!"

The grandest richest feast ever imagined materialized upon the tables of the Great Hall. The noblest mouthwatering dinner delights adorned every single platter and bowl, and flavorsome luscious drinks of every conceivable kind filled the golden goblets to their brims.

"This is a feast fit for kings and queens!" the astonished Benjamin exclaimed, taking his knife and fork.

"Not just for kings and queens!" Colton encouraged, helping himself to a steak and kidney pie. "For wizards and witches! Tuck in, cousin!"

Dallee helped Benjamin place sausages, potato chips, vegetables, and mashed potatoes and gravy onto his plate. Benjamin passed the gravy bowl to Firiti and immediately began eating.

"Kind of reminds you of Mum and Dad's cooking, doesn't it, Ben?" Dallee asked as she put a Yorkshire pudding on her plate.

Benjamin nodded through a mouthful of sausages with an ecstatic smile and promptly swallowed. "Ravenclaw!" He spoke the name with respectful reverence. "That's everyone in the family! I promised I'd let Mum and Dad know as soon as I got Sorted!"

"I'll write them tomorrow as soon as I get a free period," Dallee promised, sipping her apple juice.

"I'd better write to my parents, too!" Severia piped up as she scooped up a forkful of shepherd's pie. "As former Ravenclaws themselves, they'll be so proud of me!"

Carver passed a bowl of roast chicken legs to Colton, who gave one each to his sister and cousins. Firiti ladled gravy over her steak and passed the bowl to her right. Dallee scooped peas and carrots onto hers and Benjamin's plates. Benjamin gave a roast chicken leg to Severia.

Carver patted Benjamin heartily on the back and shook Severia's paw. "Congratulations on being sorted into Ravenclaw, kids. Well done indeed!"

Benjamin's face glowed with pride. He gathered his peas and carrots and smiled back at the Fox. "Thank you so much, Carver! It's a great honor to be here!"

"I too promise to do my very best to be worthy of Ravenclaw and honor its great name!" Severia added, raising her goblet of dandelion juice to her lips.

Carver tore at his roasted chicken leg with his fangs and chewed it hungrily. "Ya two and the other First Years are gonna do great, I know it."

A chestnut-brown Pine Marten lass reached behind Carver and offered her paw to the Suntail boy. "Annabelle Slates, Fifth-Year, Ravenclaw Prefect and Carver's partner. Call me Annie. Pleased ter make yer acquaintance, Benjamin!"

Benjamin put down his utensils and shook the Pine Marten's paw. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, Annie!"

Annie ate a forkful of her boiled potatoes and wiped her mouth with a napkin before shaking Severia's paw. "Listen, th' first day o' school is always th' most nerve-wrackin'. Take it from us who've been 'ere fer nearly five or six or seven years. As long as ye give yer whole self te magic, ye'll see thin's ye've never seen before." She poked at her pie and took another bite. "Seein' is believin'."

"Always see for myself," Benjamin nodded in agreement, pulling his vegetables into a bunch. "That's something our Dad told Dallee and me."

"Aye," Annie agreed. "Yer best experiences come from seein' th' truth for yerself."

Eolin Sandeye, a dark hickory-brown Squirrel sitting on Firiti's right, patted Benjamin on the shoulder. He winked his left cocoa-brown eye and then his right emerald-green eye. "You're going to do great, kid. All of you are. Everything about being in Ravenclaw is up in here." He tapped his temples knowingly. "Great minds think alike, after all," he added and went back to his mashed potatoes and green beans.

A wild rousing cheer suddenly arose from the four House tables. The First Years rose to their feet and pointed in astonishment up at the ceiling.

"Look! Ghosts! Ghosts in the ceiling!"

Dozens upon dozens of pearly-white and transparent specters floated and drifted into the Great Hall. They spiraled and swung over the tables, giving greetings and salutations and waving their spectral wands elaborately. The First Years' mouths dropped open. Some faces drained of color; others stared dumbfounded at the supernatural ensemble gathering around them.

"Is this normal?" Matt asked a Fourth-Year Hare beside him by the name of Mello Jubathus.

"Perfectly normal, laddie," Mello replied, nonchalantly munching on his roast beef.

One by one, four ghosts landed on or floated over the tables of their respective House, frightening the First Years and amusing the rest.

Rakkety Tam MacBurl gripped his double-edged claymore as he stood courageously on the Gryffindor table. Cluny the Scourge himself, fearsome and tyrannical, threateningly brandished his long whip-like tail fastened affixed with a poison spike at the Slytherins. Portly mustached Friar Hugo showed the Hufflepuffs the dock leaf in his tail, and the legendary Abbess Germaine herself presented a plethora of esoteric magical symbols in her ancient Journal to the Ravenclaws.

"I swear to live up to your example and be a great Gryffindor, sir!" Matt saluted Rakkety Tam MacBurl and stood fearlessly on his seat, puffing his chest out with childlike daring.

"Slytherin reigns supreme!" Alistair flaunted his ash wand in high and mighty sync with the evil Cluny the Scourge's toxic tail barb. "None shall stand in the way of our supremacy, Lord Cluny!"

"Th' legends are true!" Daphne laughed along with the jolly Friar Hugo and waved her rudder in imitation. "Th' ghosts are real!"

"Abbess Germaine! You're the very first Recorder in the history of the ancient Redwall Abbey!" Benjamin and Severia gaped at the famous Recorder, who obliged to show more symbols on another page of her Journal.

More and more ghosts filled the Great Hall, phasing through the candles and the illusion of the night sky, and conversing amongst themselves about supernatural oddities that sounded quite nonsensical to the living, who turned their attention to dessert.

At the Hufflepuff table, Daphne carefully chopped up a block Neapolitan ice cream for her fellow First Years. She circled her scoop of ice cream with treacle tarts and chocolate fudge.

"Me Papa told me many stories about th' great feasts at 'Ogwarts," she remarked in between bites of ice cream, observing Friar Hugo conversing with her fellow Hufflepuffs. "But this is far bigger than I expected!"

"Aye, th' vikkles are so delicious, ain't they?" chuckled the brown-white Weasel Shunten Vediger, a Seventh-Year. He took a hearty bite of his rice pudding and placed pumpkin tarts on his and Daphne's plates. "These're great, too!"

Ottermaid and Ferret clinked together their goblets of dandelion and pumpkin juice respectively and drank deeply. Daphne watched in awe as her goblet magically refilled itself, and placed it back on the table beside her plate.

"Daphne," another Fourth Year, a scarlet-furred Squirrelmaid named Sariah Starheart, mixed sweet cinnamon cane into hers and Shunten's rice pudding. "You're Joseph Winters' daughter, aren't you?"

"Aye, that I am," Daphne confirmed, spreading warm chocolate fudge over her ice cream. "Papa was ecstatic when I got my 'Ogwarts letter, talked about me going there fer weeks; prayed fervently that I'd go to 'Ufflepuff, just like 'e did. I also 'ave a younger brother named Noah, who is nine seasons old, an' a sister named Emilia who is seven seasons old. I 'ope they discover their magical potential an' are called to 'Ogwarts themselves, too! Unfortunately, my Mum Olivia is a Muggle, so ye can imagine she was a righ' sigh' miffed when she found about 'Ogwarts. But my siblings were chuffed, lemme tell ya!" Daphne shrugged, a bite of fudge-covered ice cream halfway to her mouth. "Mum never did like Papa's magic. I doubt she'll even love mine."

"Don'tcha worry, Daphne!" Shunten winked knowingly at her, popping a whole pumpkin tart in his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, then added, "Ya'll be able ter prove her wron', I promise. Ya'll getta show her what ya're capable o' as a witch!"

"My parents knew Joseph Winters when they attended Hogwarts as well," Sariah remarked, drinking her iced tea. "Brilliant beast at Potions in their year, he was. You never know, Daphne! Perhaps Potions might be your best subject, too!"

"Ya're righ', Sariah!" Daphne raised her dandelion juice in the air, as if in a toast. "I'll become a great witch, one day at a time!"

"We'll be right here by your side to help you every step of the way, Daphne!" Sariah joined in the toast. "You can count on us Hufflepuffs to be ever loyal!"

"That's th' spirit!" Shunten toasted with his lemonade. "Hufflepuffs stick together!"

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Matt interestedly turned over the box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans in his paws. It had been left unopened since the ride on the train, as neither Daphne nor the mice had wanted it. Mathay, however, guided by both childlike curiosity and sheer dumb determination, was eager to try it out.

Mello Jubathus the Hare opened the box for him. He carefully reached inside, pulled out a random Bean, and threw it in his mouth without hesitation.

His entire mouth burst into a sudden breath of bitter flaming-hot powder. Through his fit of coughing and sputtering, he mustered the courage to chew the Bean to bits and swallow it.

"Dr-drink!" he cracked weakly. Mello fetched Matt's goblet of cold apple juice and poured it into the Squirrel boy's mouth.

"What Bean did you eat, Matt?" Mello snickered and put away the apple cider.

Matt swallowed the fruit drink and grimaced painfully while massaging his throat. "Cayenne pepper!" He closed his eyes and waited for the last of the heat in his mouth and throat to fade away. "That was rough…" he opened his eyes and immediately grabbed for the box again. "I'm getting another one!"

Mello also grabbed one for himself and ate it, wincing, coughing, and sputtering the same as Matt had, but still mustering the strength to swallow it. "Yuck, Gurdyroots! Who in their right mind makes a bally Bean out of bloody Gurdyroots?! What in the flippin', bloomin', blinkin', flyin' world kind of idea is that, wot?!"

Miglurz Alistair feasted on a slice of chocolate gateau and listened to his fellow Slytherins discuss their Hogwarts ambitions. He quickly washed it down with peppermint tea when the topic came around to him.

"I'll be a Curse-Breaker!" Alistair announced, haughtily putting his fists on his hips. "Tha best Curse-Breaker o' this 'ere 21st century!"

"A mighty fine career choice, Miglurz!" praised a Second-Year mink-grey Rat named Burnnik Totterung. "World's runnin' outta Curse-Breakers, I say. Slytherins stick together, as brothers an' sisters! You help us become what we wanna be, and we'll help you become the greatest Curse-Breaker of the 21st century!"

Alistair's face broke into a wide fanged smirk. "Well, I'm gonna do whateva it takes ta lead tha next-generation Curse-Breakers! I ain't afraid! I fear no curses an' laugh in tha face o' tha Dark Arts!" The Sable eagerly helped himself to a second slice of chocolate gateau.

The scarlet Squirrel Joshua Starheart pointed pompously to himself. He was the younger brother of Sariah Starheart and cousin of Eolin Sandeye. "Just you blokes watch me: I'm going to become Hogwarts' next greatest prankster! I'll use my pranks to entertain and amuse, but also to do damage to the bad guys! Wait and see, I'll be the prankster to dethrone all pranksters!"

Severia finished introducing herself to Dallee and the Fletcher siblings, and gave herself and Benjamin a raspberry jam doughnut.

"I don't know about you, Benjamin," Severia gave a noncommittal shrug. "But I don't fancy climbing up to Ravenclaw Tower later."

"Nor do I," Benjamin laughed and ate his raspberry doughnut. "It's a long way up compared to the Gryffindor Tower, or so I've heard." He shrugged back to Severia, slightly resigned with a hint of anticipation. "Look on the upside: at least we get exercise!"

Severia snickered into her dandelion juice. "Aye, that's true. Every step is worth it just to become a Ravenclaw! Cheers, Benjamin!" She held up her goblet in cheers.

Benjamin clinked his goblet of cherry cider with Severia's. "Cheers to House Ravenclaw!"

The excitement amongst the First Years was palpable and their enthusiasm infectious on the greatest night of their lives.

* * *

**Hogwarts West Side, Ravenclaw Tower**

Benjamin futilely stretched his neck to try to see the top of Ravenclaw Tower's winding stairs, to no avail. "Wow! It's taller than I thought!"

"Do we have to climb up?" Severia asked Carver, her face a portrait of incredulity. "Is the journey itself the reward?"

"It's not that bad, I promise!" Carver stood on the first step of the staircase and held out his paw to the young Ermine. "Just one step at a time and we'll be there before you know it. But be prepared for the surprise at the top, eh?"

Colton lifted Benjamin onto the second step above Carver. "Don't worry, kid. I'll carry you on my shoulders if you get tired."

Severia tentatively took Carver's paw and followed Benjamin and Carver in ascending the stairs, followed by Firiti, Dallee, Annie, and the rest of the House.

The First Years climbed the staircase with hopeful determination. When some fell behind, a few others would go back and help them while the rest patiently waited above. Benjamin by his very willpower never needed to be carried on Colton's shoulders, much to his family's impressing. In time, they reached the summit of the stairs.

Before them there stood an ivory door without doorknob or keyhole. Rather, a bronze door knocker in the shape of an eagle occupied the space. Carver used the knocker to tap lightly on the door. The eagle face's eyes glowed a fantastic bronze and blue, and a mysterious voice issued from its immobile beak in response:

"_My beginning is the first of red not maroon._

_My second is the fifth, not third nor fourth._

_My third is the first, in add not subtract._

_My last begins death, not with poison nor blade._

_What you do when you wish to expand,_

_Your knowledge of things far and close in many lands._

_Be it fake, be it real, be it mystery or lies;_

_It's the greatest thing, this wonderful prize."_

All the First Years gaped at each other with mixed expressions.

"It's a riddle!" Benjamin realized.

"We need to answer it to enter the Ravenclaw Common Room!" Severia observed to Benjamin.

"You're pretty sharp, kid!" Colton patted Severia on the back. "You're right, both of you. Every time you want to enter Ravenclaw Tower, you must answer the riddle posed by the Eagle Answer correctly, and the Common Room will be open to you. Answer incorrectly, and you'll have to wait for somebody else. What do you think?" He looked expectantly at the First Years. "Are you up to the challenge?"

"Yes, we are! Let's do it!" They all jumped eagerly at the challenge of the Eagle's riddle.

"Brilliant!" Firiti clapped her paws enthusiastically. "Let's take it one line at a time. _'My beginning is the first of red, not maroon.' _What do you think that means?"

Donovan Grunndo, a scrawny gray Mouse boy in the middle of the group raised his paw. "Well, red is the first color of the rainbow. So, maybe it means the first letter of the word 'red'? The letter R?"

"Good thinking, Donovan," Dallee nodded to the young Mouse. "It must be the letter R, which is not only the _'first of red'_," she pointed out with a knowing finger. "It's also the third of _'maroon'_, too."

"Letters!" Benjamin piped up in realization, his ears flopping in understanding. "We're looking for letters!"

"Those letters must form a word!" Severia added and nodded at Benjamin in agreement. "Perhaps a four-letter word?"

"So, we've got the letter R!" Carver folded his arms thoughtfully and stared around encouragingly at the First Years. "What next? _'My second is the fifth, not third nor fourth.'_"

"Fifth of what?" Bethany Jones, a pink-tan hedgemaid on Benjamin's left side cocked her head sideways in puzzlement. "Fifth of the month?"

Annie immediately shook her head. "Not quite, Bethany. It doesn't line up with the riddle. Keep trying, eh? You're right on track."

Bethany cocked her head in the other direction and thoughtfully scratched her hedgemaid head. "I reckon it could also be…the fifth letter of the alphabet; the letter E!"

"Well said, Bethany!" Colton praised her, and the other First Years added their proud assent. "R-E. What's the third?"

"'_My third is the first, in add not subtract.'_" Benjamin observed, staring at the bronze Eagle knocker in childlike pondering, half-oblivious to Dallee placing her paws affectionately on his shoulders from behind; he put his little paws on top of hers. "Adding and subtracting aren't mathematical; we only need the words and letters. The first in subtract is S, while the first in add is A. That's too easy!"

"'_My last begins death, not with poison nor blade'_," Severia contemplated, folding her arms and palming her chin. "What begins death, but is neither poison nor blade?"

"Well, loads of things, really," Donovan started to count off on his fingers but was respectfully stopped by Eolin.

"Probably not a good idea to talk about that sort of thing on the first night of school, mate," Eolin chuckled and lowered Bernko's paws. "Let's not read too much into it. Beginning of death, what is that?"

"If we continue with the pattern," Severia innocently remarked, switching to her other paw under her chin. "What begins death would be its first letter, D!"

"'_What you do when you wish to expand/Your knowledge of things far and close in many lands," _Benjamin repeated the sixth and seventh lines of the riddle. "What do we do when we wish to expand our minds? Putting all the letters we found together to form a word, what do we get?"

"R-E-A-D!" The First Years called out in unison. "READ!"

"'_Be it fake, be it real, be it mystery or__ lies,'_" Colton recited the final two lines, tapping his chin thoughtfully with his thumbs. "_'It's the greatest thing, this wonderful prize.'_ What do you all think is that _'wonderful prize'_ we earn from reading?"

"It must be knowledge!" Bernko exclaimed, with his eyes as wide as the moon and as around as Galleons. "We gain knowledge from reading! It doesn't matter if it's _'fake or real'_, or _'mystery or lies'_! All knowledge is the same _'great thing'_, the _'wonderful prize'_!"

"Reading is the answer to the riddle!" Bethany hopped up and down on her heels ecstatically.

"I think we've got it, mates!" Severia pumped her paws in the air in enthusiastic triumph. "We solved the riddle!"

"Let's do it!" Benjamin beckoned his fellow students to answer the Eagle. "Let's tell it what the answer is!"

"READ!" the First Years answered as one voice to the bronze Eagle knocker.

The bird's eyes glowed the beautiful bronze-blue once more, its voice speaking no more than two words:

"_Well reasoned."_

The great double ivory door of the Tower parted in the middle and opened wide to reveal something extraordinary behind.

* * *

**Ravenclaw Common Room**

The Ravenclaw Common Room is the airiest of its kind in Hogwarts. The First Years crossed over the threshold into a wide circular room dotted with elegant arched windows; blue and bronze silk curtains hanging from them flowed in the casual evening wind. Twinkling stars ornamented the domed ceiling, accentuated by the near-identical midnight blue carpet below that burst with picturesque constellations. Blue tables, plenty of cushioned chairs, and a few divans and chaises furnished the Room. Inside a niche on the opposite side of the circle there dwelt a modestly-sized library chock full of books and tomes and novels, all anxiously waiting to be opened and read. Sapphire silk banners bearing the emblems of the Albanian Eagle drifted lazily in the wind above towering cylindrical bookshelves. Portraits of renowned Ravenclaws, including Abbess Germaine, Rollo Bankvole, John and Tim Churchmouse, Brother Methuselah, Abbot Saxtus, and many others, dotted the walls.

Carver and Annie gathered the First Years together in the middle of the circle. "Welcome to Ravenclaw, everyone!" Carver raised his paws in the air dramatically, to the amusement of the others. "Ya've just been granted entrance into the Common Room of the wisest, quirkiest, wittiest, cleverest, smartest, and most creative, most innovative, and most individualistic House at Hogwarts School. We look forward to getting to know all of ya and seeing ya embrace yar magical potential here at this magnificent academy."

Annie pointed behind the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw behind them, standing in another niche and flanked by branching doors. "The dormitories are right past those doors. Boys, you'll be on the left dormitory; girls, on the right. All your belongings have already arrived before you. You're welcome to hang around and explore the Common Room, or you may go straight to bed if you wish, too. Everyone get a good night's sleep tonight, okay? May knowledge guide you on your way through the realm of dreams! Tomorrow, we begin at Hogwarts!"

Colton, Eolin, and Carver led Benjamin, Donovan, and the rest of the boys to the dormitories. Dallee, Annie, and Firiti did the same for Severia, Bethany, and the other girls. Each cozied themselves into homely navy-blue four-poster beds dressed in thick soft sheep's wool blankets and owl feather pillows. After unpacking their belongings, they later gathered on the looming marble balcony that overlooked a breathtaking scene of the Hogwarts Grounds.

Holding open her copy of _Extreme Incantations_, Dallee joined the gaggle on the balcony. She flicked her hornbeam wand once, drew it back, and flicked it a second time. "_Lumos Maxima_!"

The tip of her wand flashed in a beautifully blinding spherical white light. She drew it back once more and launched the light off into the distance of the night, hovering atop the Black Lake for a minute, before floating further away to dwell amongst a dark boundless grove of trees.

"Look, there's the Forbidden Forest!" she indicated the mysterious grove by moving the light around with her wand. "Then there's the Quidditch Pitch over there; that's sure to be packed once the season comes around in November. Here are the Greenhouses: you'll take your Herbology classes there. That'll be loads of fun. In the daytime, you can see it all from here. No other House at Hogwarts has more spectacular views than Ravenclaw does, I'm telling you!"

Inside, Donovan and Bethany wandered around the miniature library, marveling at the astounding amounts of books. It paled in comparison with Hogwarts' main Library, though the sheer availability of rare titles that could not be found elsewhere made them bounce like bubbly little children, wasting no time in pulling some from the shelves and examining their titles.

"_Why I Didn't Die When the Augurey Cried, _by Gulliver Pokeby," Donovan read the cover of a dusty maroon novel with a laugh. "That sounds kind of funny!"

"_Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland,_" Bethany ran her paws along a faded amber-brown textbook emblazoned with the image of a dragon's head on its cover. "Interesting!" she thought aloud in an unassuming tone.

"What do you think about _Jinxes for the Jinxed_?" Donovan snickered and held up a violet encyclopedia about jinx spells. "Good for getting yourself out of a tight spot, I'll warrant."

"How about _Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science, _by Argo Pyrites?" Bethany showed him a thick book clothed in clover-green velvet. "My parents told me Hogwarts had an Alchemy class! Perhaps I can learn something basic from this?"

The two First Years excitedly chose one book from their many selections, returned the rest to the shelves, and plopped down in comfy chintz armchairs to read by the merrily crackling stone fireplace that Carver had just lit. Colton and Firiti cuddled together on a chaise, and Carver and Eolin perused one of the towering bookshelves.

Annie lit the torches on the stone archway that separated the balcony from the Common Room. Benjamin and Severia stood there to soak in the moonlight.

Benjamin turned to smile at Severia. "We made it! We're at Hogwarts, and we got Sorted into Ravenclaw! The two of us will become a wizard and witch, the greatest in our Year!"

"Aye, Benjamin!" Severia rubbed her paws together in anticipation. "We are going to be the best Ravenclaw First Years at Hogwarts ever!"

The two immediately made for their dormitories to fetch textbooks from their trunks, and joined Donovan and Bethany by the fire, engrossed late into the night in _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1_.

"Here it is, the Siphoning Spell," Benjamin pointed to an illustration of the spell used to siphon liquids and clean objects. "My sister taught it to a Squirrel we rode with on the train, Mathay Havson," he explained to Severia. "Matt wanted to clean his glasses, and Dallee told him how to do it using magic. When he performed the spell on his glasses, it worked for him on the first try!"

"Really" Severia marveled, her eyebrows raised to show she was genuinely impressed. "Good for him!" She scanned the page she was reading. "The Unlocking Charm! That spell will help you unlock any door and window," she taught the half-blood Donovan. "It also acts as a counter-charm to the Locking Spell."

"Oh, the Fire-Making Charm!" Benjamin showed Severia the diagram of fire being conjured out of a wand to set things alight. "We can use that to light the fireplace in here at night, and warm ourselves nice and toasty in the winter!"

"Ooh, how about the Softening Charm?" Severia wondered aloud, turning to the next page. "It's used to turn something into bouncy springy rubber." She giggled like an entertained schoolgirl. "Such a practical charm with a lot of uses! Imagine if your pillow somehow hardens overnight and feels like stone, and you want to make it comfortable again and go back to sleep? The Softening Charm will fix that up easy!"

"Hmm..." Benjamin flipped through a couple more pages of his copy. "There's also loads of spells that require nonverbal casting, way too advanced for us First Years. Look, Severia!" He showed her the book again, pointing to a picture of a silver plate being magically cleaned. "I found the Scouring Charm, the same one that you used to clean the bathroom on the train!"

"Aye, there it is!" Severia nodded and laughed at the diagram. "I'm sure whoever used that bathroom sink and mirror next was grateful that it was clean and shiny for them to use, and no longer carelessly splattered with water. I hope you'll put it to use in your own way, too, Benjamin," she smiled and gave him a reassuring wink. Returning to her book, she read from the introduction, "'Dark charms are known as jinxes, hexes, and curses. This book does not deal with such spells.'" She looked up and shrugged at Benjamin with another laugh. "I guess we'll have to search somewhere else to read about those, huh?"

"Then watch out for them in the meantime," Benjamin chuckled and turned to the next chapter. "Or else they might be used against us! Better keep our minds fast and our wands faster if we want to protect ourselves! That's what being a Ravenclaw is all about!"

When it came time for bed, Benjamin changed out of his robes into pyjamas. As he drifted off into the realm of sleep, lulled by the soothing sound of the wind singing through the windows, one single word resonated throughout the walls of his eleven-year-old mind:

_**Hogwarts!**_


	5. The New Blood

**September 2****nd**

Benjamin awoke first in the Ravenclaw boys' dormitory on the next golden Tuesday morning. He opened his eyes to behold the sun's rays glittering in through the curtains of his bedside egress window. The young Mouse threw off the covers and swung out of bed, slipping on his socks and shoes for the first day at Hogwarts!

Colton woke up next to help Benjamin dress up in a short-sleeved charcoal-gray shirt and trousers, a blue and-bronze-striped tie, and the standard black blue-trimmed Ravenclaw robe. A rush of euphoria washed over Benjamin. He felt like a true Hogwarts student and a wizard, gripping his alder wand firmly in his left paw. He rushed out of the dormitory and downstairs to the Common Room.

Some of the girls sat around in the Common Room, fully dressed. Severia sat in front of the fireplace on a chaise. At last, Benjamin saw her true form in the sunlight.

Severia stood a full inch taller than the natural Ermine. A round reddish-brown face and a chalk-white neck accentuated her long slender body in the form-fitting Ravenclaw robe. Her short brown black-tipped tail lay comfortably beneath her robe curled on the chaise. The morning sunlight from the tall glass windows illuminated her rounded brown ears. She finished slipping on her laceless dress shoes, pocketed her wand, and smiled at Benjamin as he stepped off the staircase. Her round black eyes and whiskers glowed brightly in the firelight.

"Wotcher, Benjamin," she greeted him cheerfully as he came and sat beside her on the chaise. "You're up early."

"You, too," Benjamin returned the kind gesture and beamed back at the ermine. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Severia stretched her arms in the air and yawned in reply. "Aye, that I did. Those beds are so comfortable, aren't they? I could curl up in them all day and never get up."

Benjamin laughed and also yawned behind his paw. "Me, too! They are so cozy and comfortable! Those owl feather pillows are divine, even though they do flatten easily. Are you ready for our first day at Hogwarts?"

Severia giggled enthusiastically. "As ready as I'll ever be, Benjamin! Let's do our best to become witches and wizards together!"

"That's the spirit!" Benjamin raised his paw. Severia gladly high-fived it. "We're going to be brilliant, you and me! We'll be the best witch and wizard of our Year! Let's go learn some magic!"

Carver and Annie rounded up the students and they left in an eager and hungry herd. The First Years gasped in breathless awe at the morning sun shining on the outdoor parapet connecting the Tower to the rest of the castle. They hurried energetically down the looping winding stairs and reached the Great Hall.

Benjamin sat down at the table and helped himself to scrambled eggs, hash browns, and toast with strawberry jam, and a goblet of fresh cold milk to drink. Dallee spread a thin layer of maple syrup over her waffles and placed a square of butter in the center. Donovan spread marmalade on his toast. Colton munched contently on a chocolate chip cookie and a slice of cranberry cake, with a side of wheat bread with apricot jam. Firiti stirred honey and milk into her warm oatmeal.

Severia licked her lips and put sunny-side-up eggs and brown rice on her plate. Bethany ate a simple bowl of oats cereal, a juicy red apple, and a bran muffin with sliced almonds. Eolin sank his teeth into a whole wheat cinnamon-raisin bagel slathered in thick cream cheese. Carver scooped sugar cubes and light whipped cream into his mint tea, then spread almond butter on his freshly-baked white bread roll. Annie feasted blissfully on a ripe yellow banana while cutting up a juicy red peach and handing out the slices to her tablemates.

It was an otherwise quiet breakfast at the Ravenclaw table, the newcomers staying distant to the creatures traditionally at the meal, the only words exchanged being things such as, "would you kindly pass the butter"? After everyone had eaten their fill, the Prefects passed out the class schedules. Benjamin and Severia left the Great Hall before the others and ascended the Grand Staircase.

"Bloody hell!" A few meters away, Matt screamed at the top of his lungs as he lost his footing caused by the sudden rotating stairway. His legs dangled off the side. He shut his eyes frightfully and clung with his arms wrapped around the railing. A Fifth and Seventh Year quickly came to his aid. They pulled him safely back onto the stairs and helped him finish the climb.

Severia held a paw to her heart and exhaled in relief. "Oh, thank goodness he's all right. I was scared for a moment there!" She tailed after Benjamin to the top of the stairs.

Donovan screamed frightfully and sank ankles-deep into a trick step halfway up the second stairwell. The other three took his armpits and pulled him out. He grumbled the rest of the way up to the third floor.

"If we have to go up and down those dodgy things all year," Severia murmured and sat down on a wall bench to retie her undone shoelaces. "I swear to Merlin I'll just scream."

Benjamin held his paw over his mouth to hide his laughter and led the way to Charms class.

A tall stocky yellow-brown Weasel sat in a large upholstered leather wingback chair behind his teacher's desk. He wore a sea-blue silver-trimmed satin graduation gown and a tasseled bronze cap on his head. He clasped his fingerless gloves together patiently in his lap and smiled brightly at the arriving crowd of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.

"Come in, students, come in! Sit anywhere you like!"

When all had been seated, he stood up and spread his paws over the classroom. "Welcome, First Years, to Charms class. I hope you're all doing well today. I am Garkul DemonFang, your professor for this course, and Head of Ravenclaw House."

DemonFang nodded fondly at his Ravenclaws seated on the left side of the classroom, who politely returned the gesture.

"Charms is a purely practical magical class," DemonFang continued, stepping out of his chair and sitting casually on the tabletop. "Here, you will directly apply the spells that you learn, and see their effects in action with your own eyes. Doesn't that sound exciting? You'll also learn about the theories of certain Charms without actually using them, as different spells have different effects. Some are positive and others are negative; and yet many more do everything in between. The most important advice I can give to you, First Years, is to learn and work at your own pace. Take your time to study and learn through the methods that are best for you individually. Speed comes with practice. So, study diligently and enthusiastically, and I promise you'll see amazing magic happen."

Before they began the class, DemonFang did the roll call.

"Benjamin Suntail," he studied Benjamin intently and rubbed his chin, a thoughtful shine in his eyes. "You're Dallee Suntail's brother, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir," Benjamin nodded to confirm the question, drawing his wand. "I am Dallee's younger brother." He dared not let his vague disapproval of being compared to his sister show on his face to the Weasel.

"Ah, I see," DemonFang marked Benjamin present in the attendance roll. "It's an honor to meet you, at last, Benjamin. Dallee speaks so fondly of you, you know. Quite proficient in Charms is your sister. Top of my class over the last two years. I wonder – in fact, I _hope_ – that you'll become just as good as her; possibly exceed her. We'll see."

Benjamin bit his lip insecurely. Severia glanced at him, genuinely concerned. But Benjamin did not say a single word and instead distracted himself with the textbook. Yet Severia could see the faintest hint of hurt on his face, a vague watercolor portrait of cleverly cloaked worry and pain.

DemonFang concluded the roll call and put his paws together casually in his lap. "I understand you must all be quite nerve-wracked in your first class at Hogwarts. So, I thought that to lighten the mood, we'd start by learning something fun today."

He drew his wand from his gown and pointed at the two blackboards flanking his desk. "For our first Charms class, we will be learning the Wand-Lighting Charm. It is an irreplaceable spell for lighting the darkness in an unfamiliar place."

Chalk-written words "_Wand-Lighting Charm, Chapter 2_" appeared on the blackboards as if scrawled by invisible paws. DemonFang raised his wand in the air. The students turned to the designated place in their books and followed suit.

"Hold your wands aloft and speak the incantation, _Lumos_!"

"_Lumos_!" echoed the First Years.

All at once, a bright light illuminated the wand tips and cast a brilliant white aura around the classroom. Many of the First Years exclaimed aloud in amazement and awe. The shining white lights reflected in their young eyes.

DemonFang clapped his paws together and laughed. "Wonderful, students! Exquisite! Congratulations! You have performed your first successful spell! Now, to turn off the light, you simply speak the counter-charm, _Nox_."

"_Nox_," declared Benjamin and Severia; their wand lights instantly snuffed out.

"Beautiful work, everyone, for your first magic casting," DemonFang grinned from ear to ear and twirled his wand expertly between his fingers. "Wasn't that stunning?"

He counted on his clawed fingers. "So, the Wand-Lighting Charm comes in three variations: _Lumos Solem, Lumos Maxima, _and _Lumos Duo. _One creates sunlight and is particularly effective against the nasty Devil's Snare plant, as you'll hear about in your Herbology class. The other, as you can imagine, casts even greater light. You'll learn that in your Third Year. _Lumos Duo_ enables the wand to shine a beam of yellow light to connect the caster and their target.

"If we tried any of those spells here now, well..." he shrugged nonchalantly and chuckled again. "You'll be blinded for the rest of the year and quite cross at me as a result."

During the lecture, Benjamin studiously took notes in his notebook. Donovan and Bethany sat transfixed in their seats listening in understanding wonder to DemonFang's words. Severia read fascinated through the section on the Wand-Lighting Charm in the textbook. Matt balanced his wand delicately in his paws on the other side of the room, perhaps remembering when he had cast the Siphoning Spell on the train the day before.

They learned two more spells over the hour: the Severing Charm used to cut something precisely; and the Mending Charm, to repair broken objects. They practiced on miniature pewter cauldrons, breaking and fixing all at once.

"_Tergeo!"_ Matt used the Siphoning Spell to clear the dust and dirt from the soles of his shoes.

DemonFang grinned approvingly. "The Siphoning Spell! Well done! Mathay Havson, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Matt proudly gripped his wand and laid one leg across his lap. "Dallee Suntail taught me that spell to help me clean my smudged glasses." He pushed his glasses firmly onto the bridge of his nose to emphasize his point.

DemonFang hung his paws in his pockets and chuckled. "Aye, a fine witch is Miss Dallee Suntail. Believe me, Havson, many of us professors here at Hogwarts know all too well the pains of smudged glasses. It's all good humor until it happens to you, of course. Yes, Miss Suntail did right in teaching you that useful spell. While not technically a Charm, it has unlimited uses. I do not doubt that Miss Suntail may even become a Charms teacher herself someday."

He turned to give Benjamin a promising wink. Benjamin restrained his instinctive pained look.

DemonFang turned back to Matt. "I think you're already demonstrating promise, Havson. Good work indeed. Five points to Gryffindor."

Matt smiled from ear to ear and puffed out his chest, exceptionally pleased with himself.

Severia traced her wand over her mini cauldron in an S motion. "_Scourgify_!" An inch of water disappeared from the bottom.

DemonFang's eyes widened as he walked over. "Ah, the Scouring Charm! That's a nifty little spell to know. Plenty of practical uses, that. Always an effective backup spell and a guaranteed no-fail on even the most irksome of messes."

He looked admiringly at Severia. "You already seem to be quite educated in advance about Charms work, Miss Avelle-Livenworth. Unsurprising, considering your parents themselves achieved the highest grades in all their Charms exams. I trust they are doing well?"

Severia nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Professor DemonFang. I do hope to live up to my parents' examples. I'm willing to work as much as necessary to achieve that goal. They are both in good health."

"Glad to hear that! I have no doubt you'll achieve your goal, Miss Livenworth," DemonFang agreed and put his paws casually behind his back. "You're already walking the right path. I look forward to seeing your progress and accomplishments over the school year."

Benjamin fought the gnawing urge to roll his eyes as DemonFang walked away. But his irritation got the better of him.

"_Diffindo!_" His cauldron split into small quarters with a quartet of loud metallic cracks. Benjamin curled his lips over his teeth and pushed back his frustrations.

"_Reparo_," he tried to sound more pacified. The pieces re-fused together into the whole. He glanced up to see Severia staring at him, worried.

"I'm fine," he whispered, although more to reassure himself than her.

"You're doing splendidly, Suntail," DemonFang came back around as if having sensed his tense irritability. "You cast your Charms successfully. I understand you feel unworthy. I assure you that your feelings are natural. But, allow me to promise you something. Never feel that you should live in your sister's shadow; or your cousins', or your parents'; or anybeast else's, for that matter. You'd sell yourself short if you did."

He tapped the side of his head and winked at Benjamin more encouragingly. "You'll go far in this class, Suntail. I already see it. Believe in yourself. Believe in what you can do. Find yourself in your magic. Five points for each of your spells. Well done."

As a reward for the class' productivity, DemonFang revealed a small wooden chest sealed with a steel padlock. He taught the Unlocking Charm, _Alohomora_, and challenged the students one by one to use it to unlatch the padlock. Inside lay an assortment of delicious individually-wrapped candies, including Drooble's Best Blowing Gum (a special flavoured magical gum that blew large long-lasting bubbles), regular bubblegum, various chocolates, lollipops, and bags of organic fruit snacks.

"_Alohomora!_" incanted Benjamin. A transparent golden ray shot from his wand tip and struck the padlock, clicking it open. Benjamin opened the candy chest and chose a bar of rich chocolate.

DemonFang wrote the homework on the blackboards. "I want you to read the sections in your textbook on the four spells that we have learned today. Look forward to our next class on Thursday, where we will learn to make objects levitate! Again, wonderful work, students! Class dismissed!"

Benjamin walked sedately behind the other Ravenclaws, holding his textbook under one arm, seemingly lost in thought.

Severia came abreast of Benjamin, munching on fruit snacks. "Benjamin? Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

Benjamin stopped in his tracks at the top of the stairs, not watching the others descend. "Comparing me to my sister..." he murmured to himself. "Top of his class the last two years..."

He met Severia's eyes, every line of his face full of confusion. "How will I ever be as good as Dallee? How can I, when she's been at Hogwarts for two years already and I've only started one? How does anyone expect me to be like her, or my cousins?"

Severia bit her lip, her heart twinging with pity for the Mouse. Lost in thought, she watched the others pass by them, feasting on their chosen sugary treats. "I wish I could answer that question sincerely, Benjamin. I truly do. But I don't know the answers, as much as I would like to. I promise I'm not trying to be better than you, either. Truly."

She stepped onto the stairs and led the way down. "Come on, let's go to Transfiguration! The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get the good seats!"

Benjamin unwrapped his chocolate and sprinted to keep pace.

* * *

**Lower Floor East, Classroom 1B**

"Welcome to Transfiguration class, First Years," Professor Faylekk Seaniver stood in front of her wide desk, beaming at the students. "You already know who I am. But in case you need a refresher, I am Professor Faylekk Seaniver, Head of Gryffindor House. I still remember your names and faces from the Sorting Ceremony, have no fear."

She did the roll call and went over the syllabus. Then she started the class by introducing the Transfiguration alphabet and formulae. Afterward, they began learning the basic Transfiguration spell of turning a match into a needle.

"This spell should give you a general idea of what Transfiguration is, in essence," Seaniver held up a match from a matchbox to show to the class. "It is the magic of transforming one thing into something else. Notice the technical contrast to Charms, which is the act of enchanting an object with magical properties without altering its physical state. Transfiguration causes the object to change its form entirely. It requires absolute focus and the sharpest concentration to perform precisely. Use wisely with the utmost caution, or you may end up unwittingly Transfiguring your classmates; or worse, yourselves. Unlike Charms, a self-Transfiguration is not easily reversed. You must have full mental awareness at all times. Be on your guard."

With that, she flicked her wand: the matchbox hovered in midair and the individual matches floated over to sit on the student's desks.

Benjamin, half irritated and half motivated, tightened his grip around his wand.

"Come on," he whispered. "You were brilliant in Charms. Don't fail me now in Transfiguration. Turn that rubbish match into a needle, darn you!"

He pointed his wand at the match and cast the spell a third time. It transformed into a shiny – and sharp – metal needle.

"Ouch!" Benjamin pricked his finger on the wrong end. But his heart swelled pridefully at his accomplishment.

"Remarkably done, Mr. Suntail!" Seaniver complimented. "See there the efforts of your perseverance. Behold the merits of never giving up and persisting with confidence and bravery. I know that sounds like a Gryffindor's way of thinking, but the point stands."

She rubbed her chin and studied Benjamin closely. "Suntail...You must know Colton and Firiti Fletcher, then."

"I do, Professor," Benjamin gave Seaniver his total attention. "They're my cousins."

"Well, you'll be pleased to learn that Miss Fletcher received full marks in my Transfiguration class in her Third Year." Seaniver put her paws in her pockets. "She's outstandingly skilled at Transfiguration. I can't wait to see her succeed in her O.W.L.s this year. I wonder if you will become as skilled as your cousin, Suntail. She may be an appropriate role model for you to look up to. You can supplement your learning from this class with their examples."

The faintest hint of a disappointed scowl sketched itself on Benjamin's face. Seaniver did not see it; she'd already tapped her wand on the blackboards. He shook nervously in his chair, his face a vague portrait of skepticism once again. He distracted himself by finishing his transcriptions. Seaniver subsequently tasked the class with the _Flintifors _spell.

"_Flintifors!"_ Benjamin's needle transformed before his eyes into a matchbox. He heard the little collection of matches rattle around noisily inside. Seaniver gave him a warm smile.

His hope was suddenly dashed by Severia Transfiguring her needle to a larger matchbox. Seaniver praised her natural talent and assigned the textbook sections on the two spells for homework.

He murmured on the way back through the Middle Courtyard and kicked angrily at fallen leaves and twigs that littered the stone ground. His ears twitched curiously at Donovan and Bethany's admiring conversations about Severia. His textbook bulged at its bindings from clutching it close to his robes.

"Brilliant lass, ain't she?" Donovan complimented the Ermine walking ahead in awe, his eyes twinkling. "Her parents are top ranks in the Ministry, did you know that, Beth? She must have their big brains."

"She is amazing, Donovan!" Bethany nodded in agreement. "She inspires me to work harder, too! I'm only going to keep admiring her and pushing myself to become the best witch I can be!"

Benjamin, feeling insulted, averted his gaze and forced back the welling emotions in his heart.

* * *

**Castle Dungeons, Potions Classroom**

Professor Morgrath Crawdler, a dark-brown wrinkled Pine Marten rose from his bench and dramatically threw back his wide asymmetrical velvet cloak. It draped over his shoulders and smoothly down his back to spread on the floor. The high collar flaps gave Crawdler the unmistakable likeness of a vampire. Beneath he wore a green tuxedo shirt, silver cuff links, and ankle-length gray trousers complemented by laceless cap-toed dress shoes. A Slytherin fibula hung on his right shoulder.

"I am Professor Morgrath Crawdler. You are now in my Potions class." Crawdler explained in a low and slightly growling drawl. He towered over the class menacingly, narrowing his eyes.

"Potions is what you would call a scientific subject. It is an art of subtlety and meticulousness; of concentration and detail. I don't expect a single one of you to understand the many complexities greatly possessed of potion-making. Even so, I anticipate that every student will faithfully demonstrate themselves to be a cut far above the usual blockheads that have plagued these otherwise sacred halls over the years with their varying incompetent natures. This includes both your classmates as well as yourselves. Therefore, expect a chronic scarcity of wand-waving and incantations used in this class; unless otherwise specified.

Pay close attention, and you will be greatly rewarded. Become distracted, and expect your punishments to be no less than self-inflicted. Open your minds, but also discipline them. Stay sharp and show me what you are capable of."

Crawdler materialized his wand and wrote on the blackboards. "We'll begin by learning the Cure for Boils, a basic yet all-important potion that you will no doubt find most indispensable in your coming years at Hogwarts. Follow the instructions described in your copies of _Magical Drafts and Potions_. Proceed with the utmost mindfulness. If brewed incorrectly, this potion has been infamously known to _cause_ boils rather than _cure_ them. I'll not excuse any demonstration of intellectual deficiency whatsoever, intentional or not. Use the ingredients available to you. You have the entire hour to work. Let the brewing begin."

Benjamin gathered his ingredients. "Snake fangs...Horned slugs...Porcupine quills." He carried his reagent bottles and a pair of tweezers to his cauldron.

"'Add 6 snake fangs to the mortar'," Severia read from the textbook. "'Crush into a fine powder using the pestle'."

Benjamin crushed six snake fangs in his mortar. He scooped four measures into his pewter cauldron. Severia closely followed suit.

"Provided you have heated your Cures for Boils to the correct temperature," Crawdler advised the class from his round table. "You ought to leave it for about 33 minutes. No more or less. Maintain your focus. An inability to keep time as an excuse for failure on what is fundamentally a simple concoction is unacceptable."

Benjamin heated his stove to 250 degrees and counted to 10 in his head. Then he waved his wand across the cauldron. The shimmering white light bounced on the surface of the potion and turned it to a hot bubblegum-pink color. He left it to brew and leaned relaxed against his desk.

Crawdler sauntered up to inspect. He wafted the curious odour under his nostrils, and nodded appreciatively at the simmering snake fangs, mindfully ladling a portion of the liquid and letting it spill back into the cauldron.

"You're on the right track, Suntail, as is Livenworth. Impressive." He stared at Benjamin a tad curtly through his chained brass monocle. "Benjamin, you are?"

"Yes, Professor," Benjamin confirmed, bracing himself for potential criticism or yet another comparison to his family.

Crawdler hummed in the back of his throat and slowly stroked his chin. "Did you know that your cousin, Colton Fletcher, is aspiring to be a Healer, and to that end, has achieved an Outstanding in his O.W.L. for my class? I'd expect nothing less from a creature of his exceptional aptitude. I am counting on you to show similar skills. I trust you may even consider following in your cousin's footsteps. It'd be prudent to do so. Perhaps Fletcher might work at St. Mungo's someday. May you show the same amount of promise, Suntail."

"I'll..." The word choked in Benjamin's throat when he attempted to speak it. When Crawdler raised a skeptical eyebrow at him, he collected himself and cleared his throat. "I'll do my best, sir."

Crawdler raised his monocle-less eyebrow, the phantom of a half-scrutinizing half-admiring expression on his face. He pivoted on his heels and slunk silently away, his vampiric-esque cloak swishing behind him in the still air of the dungeon. Benjamin exhaled heavily in relief.

"Benjamin?" A kind voice asked sincerely beside him. He turned to see Daphne Winters standing there. The pretty young Ottermaid was garbed in yellow-black Hufflepuff robes. He felt his worries melt away like water at Daphne's concerned face.

"Yeah," Benjamin nodded. "I'm fine, Daphne, I promise." Even in his heart, he hardly believed himself.

Daphne pursed her lips, unconvinced, and straightened her head. "Ya don't seem fine at all, Benjamin. Is there sumthin' botherin' ya? D'ya wanna talk 'bout it?"

Benjamin watched his cauldron out of the corner of his eye. "Well...I guess I'm just feeling nervous here at Hogwarts, that's all. I wonder if I measure up to everyone else's abilities. They seem to be doing loads better at magic. It looks like they have better skills and deeper talent. I wonder what my sister and my cousins would think. I dare not look inadequate in front of them."

Daphne furrowed her brow sympathetically. "I'm sorry ye're havin' a bad day, Benjamin. I wish I could do sumthin' t' help." She stared at Benjamin's snake fangs stewing away in his cauldron, biting her lip ponderingly.

"Ya know, Benjamin," she began, drifting off into thoughts of empathetic fancy. "When I started makin' my potion, I thought o' my Papa, Joseph Winters. I wonder how he must've felt on his first day o' Potions class. Did he ever feel inadequate? Did he ever thin' he wasn't good enough, like his Cure fer Boils would be terrible an' everyone else's would be perfect? Did he fear that his classmates would finish their potions before him, an' he'd be left behin'? I bet he did feel all o' that. But he persevered. He worked hard an' believed in himself for all seven Years at 'Ogwarts. He never gave up, even with all th' odds against him! Now he's happily married, raisin' a family, an' workin' at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies an' Injuries as their leadin' Potioneer t' boot! I'm sure yar sister an' cousins are doin' th' same, righ'? I thin' we oughta learn from that example, Benjamin. It's not about how we see how other creatures are doin' better than us. It's 'bout how we can do better than ourselves."

Benjamin mulled over her words for a solid minute. He unconsciously kept an eye on the hourglass on the teacher's round table. "You're right, Daphne. I've just got to believe in myself, is that it?"

Daphne folded her arms knowingly. "Aye, Benjamin. That's all it takes. A little self-confidence can go a lon' way, ya know. If ya ever get down, ya can always talk t' me, okay? Matt, too."

"Thanks a bunch, Daphne," Benjamin smiled gratefully. "I'll try to remember that."

"Solid advice, that is," Severia mused. "Best I've heard all day."

The next half-hour passed uneventfully. Benjamin added four heaps of horned slugs to his potion, then took the cauldron off the fire. The pink mixture glowed brightly in stark contrast to the black pewter cauldron.

"Remember, Benjamin," Severia counseled him. "Potions is a scientific subject. We have to make sure we get it exactly right!"

"You're not the professor, Severia," Benjamin shot back matter-of-factly without even looking up from his textbook. "You don't know better. The book knows everything. That's why we have to follow it, so we'll get it exactly right."

Severia rolled her eyes in amused response and snickered. "Whatever you say, Benjamin. I'm still going to beat you. Just as I beat you in Charms and Transfiguration."

"This isn't some bloody contest!" Benjamin snapped, suddenly glaring at Severia and slightly raising his voice, making the female Ermine flinch in shock. "School isn't a competition! It's not a game! It's a learning experience! We're learning how to make these potions! We're being taught how to cast these spells! Neither one of us is better or smarter or more talented than the other. It's all about how well we perform!"

"Much as I disapprove of you raising your voice, Suntail, and your quite unnecessary outburst of emotion in my class," Crawdler called over. "I have an inkling to wholeheartedly agree with your statements."

"Thank you, Professor Crawdler," Benjamin apologetically lowered his voice and scowled at Severia. He added porcupine quills to his potion, stirred five times clockwise, and waved his wand. He held his glass vial at eye level and gingerly filled it up with his completed Cure for Boils.

"At least we finished!" Severia commented, smiling stoutly to herself and Benjamin. "That's what matters, right-?"

A sudden deafening sickening squelching sound heralded the unexpected melting of Donovan Grunndo's cauldron, still sitting aimlessly on his stove. Donovan stared befuddled at the wreck of his cauldron, giving off a horrid burning odour that permeated the entire classroom. The other students pulled their collars over their noses while Crawdler went to see what had happened.

"What a daft fool you've made of yourself, Grunndo," Crawdler seethed, gesturing at the ruined cauldron melting messily into the table. He waved his wand and mended it instantly. "Did you forget to wait for 33 minutes? Did you not take your cauldron off the fire before adding the porcupine quills? An imbecilic ignorance if I've ever seen it. This incompetence of yours will not be tolerated in the future, Grunndo. You were held to the highest standard and you fell needlessly short of the bar. No honest explanation could possibly spare you from this preventable mistake. Five points from Ravenclaw."

Donovan said nothing and shamefully hung his head. Bethany facepalmed herself. Benjamin and Severia bit their lips nervously at having lost the precious House points. So, they confidently delivered their sealed vials to Crawdler.

Crawdler took a gander at the potions and nodded stiffly. "You two have made a more than passable Cure for Boils." He nodded more favorably at Daphne. "Winters' product, however, is flawless; praiseworthy, even."

Benjamin's jaw dropped, dumbstruck with disbelief.

Daphne shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, Benjamin. I truly am." She squeezed Benjamin's paw to console him. "Ya an' yar friend did an excellent job, too, if'n that's any consolation."

Benjamin growled thoroughly annoyed to himself as he cleaned up his workspace. He followed the others silently out of the classroom. Ahead of him, Severia, not ashamed at having "lost" at Potions, rained sincere compliments on Daphne, her eyes sparkling like fireworks and her face glowing ecstatically. Daphne, humble to a fault, patiently endured Severia's praises and even laughed at a few of them.

"Donovan, what on earth did you do?" Bethany asked Donovan, who was likewise sulking, completely confounded.

"I dunno what I did!" Donovan shrugged honestly and stared down at his feet. "I must've forgotten something. I didn't see the hourglass, or whatever."

"Did you read the part in the instructions where it said to take the cauldron off the fire?" Benjamin questioned.

Donovan rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "I, ah, might've skimmed over that part in the textbook."

Benjamin threw his paws in the air and Bethany sighed incredulously.

"Brilliant job, Donovan, honestly," Benjamin growled through his teeth. "You've lost us five House Points. I hope you're proud of yourself!"

Donovan, unable to argue, just shrugged again.

Benjamin bit back the cocktail of mixed negative emotions boiling anew in his heart and dug his claws deep into the covers of _Magical Drafts and Potions._ He fumed the rest of the way to lunch.

* * *

**Great Hall**

Benjamin plopped down at the lunch table and piled sandwiches on his plate, muttering stressfully to himself. He tried to distract himself by listening to his family's conversations.

"Anything interesting?" Firiti asked Colton, who read the _Daily Prophet_, spreading butter on her toast.

"Nothing much," Colton answered bluntly, holding a ripe red apple halfway to his mouth. "Unless you count the news of Emerson Silver and Celestina Warbeck announcing their national winter tour to be interesting."

He perked up at the Sports section, grinning from ear to ear. "Whoa! Look at this, Dallee! Puddlemere United beat the Falmouth Falcons yesterday! They're climbing up the League! They're neck-and-neck with the Tutshill Tornadoes now for the Championship!"

Dallee giggled and mixed honey into her oatmeal, nodding knowingly. "Exactly as I expected." She turned to Benjamin and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, kissing him on his forehead. "Hey, Ben! How were your classes today? Tell me everything you've learned so far."

Benjamin scratched his head nervously but managed an excited grin. "Our classes were amazing!" He and Severia expounded on their classes and what they'd learned.

Dallee smiled, wide-eyed. "Wow! I'm impressed you've learned so much in such a short time." She affectionately stroked Benjamin's ear tufts. "It looks like you're off to a great start."

"I'd not say that," Donovan shook his head, disagreeing, stuffing a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I melted my cauldron in Potions and lost us five House Points."

"Oh, don't worry about that, Donovan," Colton patted the other Mouse on the shoulder. "It's just a measly five points. We can easily earn them back, no problem!"

Dallee noticed that Benjamin had not touched his other sandwiches. She instinctively held him close to her chest in concern. "Ben? Are you all right, my dear brother?"

Before Benjamin could stop himself, he spilled everything the Professors had said: about how Dallee had made the top of the class the last two Years; how Firiti received full marks in Transfiguration in her Fourth Year; and how Colton got an Outstanding in his Potions O.W.L.

"That's _it_!"

Benjamin stood to his feet and planted his palms on the table. His eyes brimmed with fresh tears and glared at his family, who sat in silent surprise, their faces pale white. Benjamin heaved shakily and clenched his little paws into angry fists. The tears spilled freely down his face.

"All day, the teachers have been comparing me to you! How you're so much better at magic and got all the best grades and passed at the top of the class every single Year! But I don't want to be compared! I don't want anyone to assume that I'm not as good as my family just because I'm a First Year! I don't want to be known as Dallee's brother, or as Colton and Firiti's cousin! I just want to be recognized as myself, as Benjamin! That's all I'm asking for! What if someone says next that my parents achieved this or that? What will I ever do to be better than that? Why can't I just be known as Benjamin, and not as my parents' son, or my sister's brother, or my aunt and uncles' nephew, or a cousin? _Who am I?!_"

Benjamin slumped onto the bench and hung his head on his chest, hiding his face in his paws and trying to hold back the tears. Dallee wrapped her arms around Benjamin's shoulders and cuddled him close, softly shushing and comfortingly stroking the back of his head.

"Ben..." Dallee whispered to her brother. "I'm so sorry that the teachers said those things that you made you think these terrible thoughts."

"_I just want to be myself!" _Benjamin cried out through his paws.

Colton and Firiti took Benjamin in their arms as well. Colton held Benjamin's paws, and Firiti wiped his tears. Severia held a paw to her mouth and shuddered in her seat, shocked.

"Ben..." Colton spoke kindly to his cousin. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault. You are doing your best and that's what matters, more than anything else. It was the teachers who compared you to us. That wasn't even fair. You're starting out as a wizard. You didn't deserve to be compared to us."

Firiti planted soft kisses on Benjamin's tear-stained cheeks. "We're so sorry, Ben. We really are."

Benjamin wiped his face on his sleeves. "It's not your fault, either," he reassured them, his voice cracked with sorrow. "I don't blame any of you. But I don't blame the teachers, either. I blame myself."

He shook his head in blatant disbelief. "I must've been mad to think I deserved to be at Hogwarts. Why do I think I could become a good wizard? I don't think I warrant a proper place at Hogwarts. Maybe I should just leave because I'll never be as good as you or anybeast else!"

"No!" Carver slammed his fist on the table in protest, making everyone jump. "You cannot leave Hogwarts, Benjamin! That's a horrible idea! You'll regret it! You don't want to leave Hogwarts! What better place could there be for you than here? Remember what I told you on the train?"

"Hogwarts..." Benjamin met Carver's eyes and gulped in a small voice. "Hogwarts chose me."

"Aye, that it did," Carver picked up his tipped goblet. "As it chose your friends Daphne and Mathay, and Severia, too. As it chose your parents and your aunt and uncle. As it chose every single one of us, past and present. Hogwarts wanted you here, Benjamin, to learn magic, to become a wizard, to become who you were born to be. You are a wizard, Benjamin, even if you think you aren't. Hogwarts wanted you, and you gave yourself to it."

"Carver's right, Ben," Colton affectionately squeezed Benjamin's paws. "What matters is not how other wizards and witches do. You believe in yourself."

Benjamin nodded, understanding. "Well...the Professors did recommend that I learn from your examples."

"That's good advice," Firiti agreed, wrapping her arms around Benjamin from behind. "But you should also create your own example, too. Carve your own path. Being a Ravenclaw is about independence and individualism."

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Carver concurred, and returned to his lunch.

Benjamin closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm his nerves. Dallee placed a calming paw on Benjamin's chest, feeling his steadying heartbeat.

"Benjamin," she spoke his name softly, lovingly. "Listen to me, little brother. You are doing great work on the first day of school. You are already on the road to becoming a wizard. There are many astounding things in store for you in the future. All you have to do is take it one day at a time. You're not in our shadows, Ben. You never have been. You must learn to stand in your light."

"We love you, Ben," Colton stroked Benjamin's fingers with his own. "We love you with all our hearts, and we don't want you to feel discouraged during your time at Hogwarts. We're here for you, and we always will be."

"Me, too, Benjamin," Severia kindly smiled at Benjamin, who cracked a little laugh and smiled back, now feeling a bit better.

"We promised to take care of you," Firiti added, hugging Benjamin. "That's what we plan to do. Sometimes the teachers just don't understand what you're capable of yet. But, in time, they will."

Benjamin reopened his eyes and wrapped his arms around his family's shoulders. "I know they will. I hope I understand what I'm capable of, too." He stared unconsciously at his uneaten sandwiches. "It's just the first day. I've got to believe in myself! I have to stay positive!"

He forced himself to smile and felt his heart grow wings in his chest. "I need to stay strong, no matter what! I'm learning at my own pace and becoming a wizard a little at a time! The time will come when I'll get the opportunity to prove myself! I can't be negative about this," he told himself. "DemonFang is right. It won't do to compare myself to more experienced wizards and witches. I cast the Charms on my first try, so that's something. We're all still learning at Hogwarts. There'll be much more to come, and even better things to learn. Who knows? I might find that class that I'm the best at. It might be Astronomy, or something else. I've just got to trust myself!"

"That's the Benjamin I know and love!" Dallee laughed and peppered Benjamin's face with kisses. "You're going to do wonderful, Ben!"

Severia pumped her fist in the air. "You make me excited for what's next, Benjamin! Eat up, then we can go to our next class!"

Benjamin immediately sat back and grabbed a second sandwich, giggling excitedly, authentically back to his optimistic energetic self. "Right! We've got Flying next! That's going to be extraordinary!" He pushed his worries to the back of his mind and the bottom of his heart.

He smiled to himself, the warmth of his family and companionship filling his heart. "I'm going to be a wizard, whatever it takes!" he whispered to himself.


End file.
